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CHRIST BLESSING LITTLE CHILDREN. 



SACRED SCENES: 



FROM THE FRENCH OF 



NAPOLEON ROUSSEL. 



Translated for the Massachusetts Sabbath School Society, 
and Revised by the Committee of Publication. 



J 

BOSTON: 

MASSACHUSETTS SABBATH SCHOOL SOCIETY, 
Depository, No. 13 Cornhill. 

1844. 



£5*401 



7 






*W**' 




Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1844, 

BY CHRISTOPHER C. DEAN, 
In the Clerk's office of the District Court of Massachusetts. 



$ 

W 






LC Control Number 




tmp96 027586 



a Crito. 



To the Publishing Committee 

of the Massachusetts Sabbath School Society. 

It gives me no little pleasure to learn that you are 
about publishing that interesting little work for chil- 
dren, entitled Sacred Scenes, by Rev. Napoleon 
Roussel, of Paris. To those acquainted with the au- 
thor of the following work, and with his peculiar and 
rare qualifications for adapting truth to infant minds, 
it will be no marvel, that it has already reached its 
third edition in France. It is a book that needs only 
to be read to be appreciated, and must commend itself 
to christians of all denominations, who regard the 
Bible among books as they do the Sun among the 
lesser lights of the firmament. Indeed, its paramount 
excellency will be found in its affinity to the Bible, 
and in the fact that its most beautiful and touching 
scenes are so truthfully and graphically drawn from 
that infallible source. It is, in a word, just what it 
claims to be, — Sacred Scenes. — As a skillful artist, 
seizes some little object or isolated fact, throws it upon 
canvass, and aided by sound judgment, and a chaste 



IV ALETTER. 

and vivid imagination, expands it by every touch of 
his pencil, until it becomes a wide and varied field of 
observation, over which the eye roams with untiring 
delight, and the mind revels in luxuriant thought ; 
so is it with this author. He selects, perhaps, a 
single sentence that fell from the lips of the Saviour, 
or some incident in his life, and under the culture of 
his rich and versatile mind, it dilates, and grows into 
an intellectual and spiritual feast, so rich in thought, 
yet so simply expressed, that whilst men of riper 
years and of the most fastidious taste, will be ready 
to proclaim it, " Angel's food" the little Sabbath 
school children, with no less avidity, will drink it in 
as the " Sincere milk of the word" 

Another excellency of this work will be found in 
the prominency it gives to the Love of Christ. This 
soul-subduing principle, so conspicuous in the charac- 
ter and life of the Saviour, seems never to be lost 
sight of, and is so beautifully illustrated as to make a 
deep and tender impression upon youthful minds. It 
illuminates every page, and throws a mild and beau- 
tiful light over even the " mysteries of godliness." 
And who, that hath ever preached the gospel with 
success, but can bear testimony to the transforming 
power of this principle, in subduing the will, and in 
purifying the heart. " God is love," and his Son is 
the personification of this attribute — " the express 
image of his person," and when this divine principle 



A LETTER. V 

is exhibited in its fullness, its brightness, and its 
glory — it becometh the hammer, that breaketh in pie- 
ces the flinty rock, and the fire that purine th the 
silver. 

We would that this little work were placed in every 
family in our land, assured as we are, that He who 
delighteth to honor his own truth, and to magnify 
" his word above all his name," will place the seal of 
his approbation upon it, and make it the instrument in 
bringing many lambs into the fold of the Redeemer. 

E. N. Sawtell. 

New York, April 25, 1844. 



1* 



CONTENTS, 



PAGE 

Jesus blessing little children, ----- 9 

The Shepherds at Bethlehem, ----- 20 

John the Baptist in the Desert, ----- 32 

Jesus healing the Sick, ------- 48 

Jesus preaching upon the Mount, - - - - 60 

Jesus Raising the Widow's Son, - - - - 80 

Jesus Walking upon the Water, - - - - 95 

Resurrection of Lazarus, 108 

Triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, - 121 

The Last Supper, --------- 137 

Judas betrays Jesus with a Kiss, - - - - 152 

Jesus before Pilate, -------- 171 

Jesus upon the Cross, -------- 182 

Mary in the Garden, -------- 197 

Death of Ananias, -------- 210 

Paul upon the road to Damascus, - - - - 226 

Paul and Barnabas at Lystra, 239 

Paul Preaching at Athens, 252 

Paul Before King Agrippa, 267 

Paul in the Isle of Malta, 278 



SACRED SCENES. 



I. 

JESUS BLESSING LITTLE CHILDREN. 

My dear children, there are three 
things that you dearly love ; stories, 
true histories and pictures; and to 
these very things, I now invite your 
attention. The gospel is a history ; 
there is no history in the world so 
true, and with these gospel stories I 
shall show you some engravings, that 
will make you understand them better. 
These pictures are the most correct 
and faithful that I have ever seen. In 
looking at them, you seem to be in 
Palestine in the very midst of oriental 
architecture, and surrounded by the 
ancient Jews. 



10 SACRED SCENES. 

He, who designed these beautiful 
sketches, had probably traveled in the 
East : for I assure you, that the cos- 
tumes, the features and all parts 
of the picture represent truly, what 
might still be met with in those coun- 
tries. Come then, let us imagine 
ourselves in the Holy Land, at the 
time when the Saviour lived on earth. 
Let us journey with him in that beau- 
tiful country, and listen to his blessed 
words. First, let me point him out to 
you. See him standing in front of 
that portico, surrounded by a crowd 
of little boys and girls. How sweetly 
mild his aspect. With what kindness 
he presses to his bosom that little 
child ; and you can almost see the 
blessing, he pronounced upon the lit- 
tle group, painted in that upward 
glance. He has never seen these 



SACRED SCENES. 11 

children before. They were brought 
to him now for the first time ; and 
even now, he loves them, already he 
blesses them. If you, my dear chil- 
dren, had been there, he would also 
have taken you kindly in his arms and 
blessed you. Who then is this Being, 
so good, so kind ? My children, it is 
Jesus Christ, the Son of God : God 
himself under a human form. His 
greatness contrasted with your weak- 
ness, should only the more make you 
feel his love. He, who created the 
heavens, and the earth ; He, who is 
holy, just and all-powerful ; He, 
who loves you ; you, who are so feeble, 
born but a few years ago ; you, who 
are neither holy, just nor good. 

The disciples of Jesus thought these 
children of too little consequence to 
attract the notice of the Son of God, 



12 SACRED SCENES. 



and they endeavor to discourage those 
who brought them. How natural are 
such fears to feeble man. We are apt 
to imagine, that, because God is so 
great, he is interested only in those 
things that appear great to us ; as 
creating worlds and gilding the stars — 
just as if God could not at the same 
moment, regard a world, and take 
care of an atom ; notice the monarch, 
and uphold the little child. Can any 
thing be called great or small in the 
eyes of God ? And has not the little 
child an immortal spirit, as well as a 
king or an angel ? 

Then Jesus reproved his disciples, 
and said to them ; " Suffer little chil- 
dren to come unto me, for of such is 
the kingdom of heaven. " He meant 
by this that those, who are humble 
and simple minded as children, are 






SACRED SCENES. 13 

the persons whom he loves and will 
save. 

You know, my dear young friends, 
that there are some wicked, ungov- 
ernable children, and probably some 
of this character might have been 
found among the number presented to 
Jesus. You well know, that Jesus 
does not wish you to resemble these. 
At the same time, he loved those poor, 
naughty children. It was for them 
that he raised his eyes to heaven, and 
prayed. It was of them, that the 
apostle speaks, when he says : " He 
blessed them." The more wicked 
children are, the greater need have 
they, that God should pity them and 
make them better. 

And, my children, when your 
young friends do wrong, you should 
never return evil for evil, but show 
2 



14 SACRED SCENES. 

them that you are sorry for them, and 
pray for them, that God would change 
their hearts, and make them good lit- 
tle companions for you. 

In the group around Jesus, besides 
his disciples and those children, you see 
many females, and already I presume 
you understand that they are the 
mothers of those little children. Proba- 
bly, you think that those little boys 
and girls would not have come of their 
own accord, to seek the blessing of 
the Saviour ; for you know that you 
yourselves would seldom think to read 
the Bible, to pray, or to go to church, 
if your mother did not first say to 
you: "My children, come read the 
word of God ; my children, kneel 
down and pray." Well, mothers in 
all ages have been the same. Always 
tender towards their children. 



SACRED SCENES. 15 

These mothers, whom you see, have 
heard, that one sent from God, is 
passing through their country. They 
have heard, that he can by a word re- 
store health to the sick, and by his 
touch cause the blind to see. They 
have heard too, that his blessing makes 
children wise, good and happy. Im- 
mediately, these good mothers leave 
their occupations ; each, takes her 
son, or daughter by the hand, and 
hastens to see this wonderful man. 
How their countenances beam, as they 
hear from divine lips, the blessings 
poured upon their beloved children. 
They are happy in their happiness. 
They are not come to seek some good 
thing for themselves, but for their 
children. When they arrive, the 
multitude so crowd around Jesus, that 
they cannot approach him. They are 



16 SACRED SCENES. 

anxious, and urge forward their larger 
children, while they carry the smaller 
ones in their arms. 

They crowd forward, and, that so 
eagerly, that the apostles rebuke them. 
Every one exclaims at the vehemence 
of these women. But no matter ; they 
perceive it not ; they are not afraid. 
All their thoughts are concentrated 
upon those cherished ones, and they 
maintain their ground. At length, 
Jesus commands that they shall be 
suffered to approach freely. It was 
then, that the Saviour stooping, took 
up one of the little ones in his arms, 
and its mother, trembling with joy at 
the sight, falls upon her knees, joins 
her hands, and beseeches him to bless 
her child. 

Oh, my young friends, if you knew 
how much a mother loves her child, if 



SACRED SCENES. 17 

you knew how tenderly your own 
mother loves you, you surely would 
not grieve her so often by your diso- 
bedience. 

But, while the mother thus devout- 
ly prays for her little one, what is the 
child himself doing. He nestles in the 
Saviour's bosom, and plays with the 
curls of his long hair. It is often thus 
that children are far from feeling the 
seriousness and importance of religious 
things. Sometimes, when their pa- 
rents or Sabbath school teachers, 
labor with great solicitude to make 
them comprehend the truths of the 
Bible, which they place in their hands, 
they amuse themselves in turning over 
the leaves of the book, and thinking 
of every thing else, rather than the 
meaning of the words addressed to 
2* 



18 



SACRED SCENES. 



them. Even in prayer, play seems to 
be their only thought. 

My dear children, there is a time 
for sport, but there is also a time for 
serious thought, even for children. 
For you all have precious souls, and 
young as you are, you may die. As 
you see how very condescending Jesus 
was to notice little children as well as 
older persons, you ought to think 
much about Jesus. Now, I will read 
you the passage in the Bible which 
describes this scene. 

" And they brought young children 
to him that he should touch them ; 
and his disciples rebuked those that 
brought them. But when Jesus saw 
it, he was much displeased, and said 
unto them, Suffer the little children 
to come unto me, and forbid them not, 
for of such is the kingdom of God. 



SACRED SCENES. 19 



" Verily I say unto you, Whosoever 
shall not receive the kingdom of God 
as a little child, he shall not enter 
therein. And he took them up in his 
arms, put his hands upon them, and 
blessed them." Mark 10 : 13—16. 



L 



20 



II. 



THE SHEPHERDS AT BETHLEHEM. 

My dear children, when you were 
born, they placed you in a little cradle, 
in a warm and quiet apartment ; yet, 
you were only the children of an hum- 
ble Christian. When the son of a king 
comes into the world, a palace is his 
birth-place ; they lay him in a cradle 
of precious wood, hung with silk cur- 
tains, fringed with gold, and the noise 
of the cannon spreads through the 
kingdom, the news, that a royal infant 
is born. Nevertheless the son of a king 
is only the child of a mortal. If they 
treat so well the child of a simple 



SACRED SCENES. 23 

Christian and of a king, how ought they 
to honor the birth of the only Son of God ? 
What cradle would be precious enough 
for him ? What place sufficiently 
splendid to receive him ? We should 
expect to see Jesus welcomed into a 
temple, glorious with light ; and kings, 
princes, and emperors hastening to do 
him homage. All this certainly, would 
not have been too much for the Saviour 
of the world. Well, was it thus he 
was treated at Bethlehem ? No, my 
children ; Jesus was born in a stable ; 
for a cradle, he had a handful of straw ; 
his first cries were mingled with the 
bleatings of the lambs around his 
couch ;- and his first visitors were the 
poor simple shepherds. 

Nevertheless, Jesus was the Son of 
God. My children, this shows you 
that rich apartments, cradles of pre- 
cious wood, with hangings fringed 



24 SACRED SCENES. 

with gold, are nothing in the sight of 
Him, who considered it no dishonor 
for his only Son to be born poor and 
laid in a manger. Do you know then 
what God esteems ? 

It is the faith of that woman, whom 
you see by the side of Jesus ; of that 
Mary, who believed the promise that 
God made to her, that she should have 
a son. God esteems also the submis- 
sion of that man, standing at the right 
of Mary ; of Joseph who has resolved 
to remain and cherish her, even after 
he had once determined to separate 
himself from her. God loves also the 
confidence of those simple shepherds, 
who at once abandon their flocks that 
they may come and adore Jesus, a 
poor, little child in appearance ; but 
in reality the Son of God, the Saviour 
of the world. Observe how respectful 



SACRED SCENES. 25 

they seem. The youngest stops at 
the door, as though he dared not ap- 
proach ; but, standing on tip-toe, 
gazes upon the scene. The most 
venerable of the Jewish shepherds 
prostrates himself before the infant. 
Every thing about him denotes his 
astonishment and awe. His crook has 
fallen from his hand, his gaze is fixed 
upon the new-born child, his hair even 
stands up on his head. He cannot 
comprehend how He, whom the pro- 
phets spoke of, as the Saviour of the 
world, as the Prince of Peace ; He, 
who was to change the aspect of all 
things, can be this same child that he 
sees so feeble, trembling and scarcely 
breathing, this infant humbly cradled 
in a manger. 

But soon, this Being, growing in 
stature and wisdom, healing the sick, 
3 



26 SACRED SCENES. 

challenging even his enemies to find 
any sin in him, will teach the poor 
shepherd that he must not understand 
the prophecies in a gross sense in 
which the words grandeur, glory, 
power, signify gold, silver, palaces, 
luxury and pride ; but that he ought 
to interpret these by the Spirit of God, 
and know that in the mouth of Him, 
who is holy, just and good, the words 
grandeur, glory and power, mean 
love, justice, holiness ; indeed every 
thing that is truly great and glorious. 
Gold and silver are not, in them- 
selves, precious things ; for the moth 
and the rust consume them, and the 
thief may steal them from us ; but the 
love of God for us, purity of life, 
nobleness of soul, all that is really 
glorious, w 7 ill endure in the heavens, 
where the rust cannot corrupt, nor 
the thief enter to steal. 



SACRED SCENES. 27 

By the side of those shepherds, who 
are so interested in Jesus, see those 
animals, sleeping and eating quietly. 
What a contrast between these two 
classes of beings ! These men are 
all attention, all eyes, all ears. Their 
faculties seem absorbed in profound 
adoration. These animals, on the 
contrary, are completely indifferent to 
what is passing around them. A 
goat, lying down, turns away his 
head from the scene ; an ox is quietly 
chewing the cud, while another 
reaches after the hay in the rack. It 
is not strange that these creatures, 
without reason, should not think and 
act like' reasonable beings ; but it is 
strange to see, every day, reasonable 
beings, thinking and acting almost 
like brutes. 

Look around you, and how many 



28 SACRED SCENES. 

men and children of your own age, do 
you see who care no more for Jesus 
and his promises, than if they did not 
exist ; who, when they ought to adore 
God and purify their lives, think only 
of eating and drinking and amusing 
themselves. Oh, my children, these 
beings are greatly to be pitied. God 
wishes them to be like Himself, but 
they wish to live like the brutes ; to 
eat and drink, and then die. Do not 
imitate these persons, for in fact you 
would thus be imitating those brutes 
in the stable. 

Now, my children, that you have 
impressed upon your minds the scene 
of the visit of the shepherds, you 
will read with interest, the account, 
as it is given by the apostle. 

" And it came to pass in those days, 
that there went out a decree from 



SACRED SCENES. 29 

Caesar Augustus, that all the world 

should be taxed. (And this taxing 

was first made when Cyrenius was 

governor of Syria.) And all went to 

be taxed, every one into his own city. 

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, 

out of the city of Nazareth, into Ju- 

dea, unto the city of David, which is 

called Bethlehem ; (because he was of 

the house and lineage of David :) to be 

taxed with Mary his espoused wife, 

being great with child. And so it 

was, that, while they were there, the 

days w r ere accomplished that she 

should be delivered. And she brought 

forth her first-born son, and wrapped 

him in swaddling clothes, and laid him 

in a manger ; because there was no 

room for them in the inn. 

" And there were in the same 

country shepherds abiding in the field, 
3# 



i 



30 SACRED SCENES. 

keeping watch over their flock by 
night. And, lo ! the angel of the 
Lord came upon them, and the glory 
of the Lord shone round about them ; 
and they were sore afraid. And the 
angel said unto them, Fear not : for, 
behold ! I bring you good tidings of 
great joy, which shall be to all peo- 
ple. For unto you is born this day in 
city of David a Saviour, which is 
Christ the Lord. And this shall be a 
sign unto you ; Ye shall find the babe 
wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying 
in a manger. And, suddenly, there 
was with the angel a multitude of the 
heavenly host praising God, and say- 
ing, Glory to God in the highest, and 
on earth peace, good will toward men ! 
And it came to pass, as the angels 
were gone away from them into 
heaven, the shepherds said one to 




SACKED SCENES. 31 

another, Let us now go even unto 
Bethlehem, and see this thing which 
is come to pass, which the Lord hath 
made known unto us. And they came 
with haste, and found Mary, and 
Joseph, and the babe lying in a man- 
ger. And when they had seen it, 
they made known abroad the saying 
which was told them concerning this 
child. And all they that heard it 
wondered at those things which were 
told them by the shepherds. But 
Mary kept all these things, and pon- 
dered them in her heart. And the 
shepherds returned, glorifying and 
praising God for all the things that 
they had heard and seen, as it was 
told unto them." Luke 2 : 1—20. 



32 



III. 



JOHN THE BAPTIST IN THE DESERT. 



Here is a new and strange scene 
my children. A man clothed with a 
shaggy skin, a long staff in his hand, 
seems to be earnestly addressing a 
crowd of soldiers, rulers, and people, 
who all listen eagerly. Can you tell 
how this man, so miserable in appear- 
ance, should be able to attract the 
attention of those soldiers, generally 
such scorners ; of those learned rulers, 
so proud ; of that crowd of people, 
commonly so careless ? You think 
perhaps, that he is telling them some- 
thing very agreeable. No, for he 



SACRED SCENES. 35 

calls them a race of vipers. Do you 
suppose then that this man is some 
great philosopher, whose eloquent 
discourses charm his hearers ? No, 
for he says of himself, that he is noth- 
ing. He compares himself to a voice, 
a sound which passes away. Perhaps 
then you imagine that he is some great 
lord or prince, the king, perhaps of 
the desert, and that he promises 
treasures, offices and honors to those 
who listen to him. Not at all ; for 
Jesus tells us that John was not one 
who dwelt in princely mansions. 

How then could he, being poor, 
without eloquence and of low origin, 
draw after him such a crowd of the 
learned and the soldiery ? 

It was because he spoke under the 
influence of the Spirit of God. The 
Spirit also inclined those hearts to 



36 SACKED SCENES. 

listen, and then, notwithstanding the 
feebleness of the speaker, and the 
pride of the hearers, persuades and 
converts them, by the word of him, 
who w r as but a voice crying in the 
wilderness. But what did he say to 
them ? Before telling you I wish to 
give you some little account of the 
persons in the picture. 

John the Baptist was the son of the 
priest Zechariah, and Elizabeth his 
wife. He was sent by God before 
Jesus, in order to prepare the people 
to receive the good news of pardon 
through the Son of God. This is the 
reason why John the Baptist has been 
called the forerunner of Christ. Those 
soldiers whom you see upon the left, 
are Roman soldiers, who at that time 
held possession of Judea. These men 
have heard that John, a messenger 



SACRED SCENES. 37 

from God, comes to announce remis- 
sion and pardon of sins. Immediately 
these soldiers, accustomed to a life of 
tumult, disorder and vice, usually 
strangers to all religious sentiments ; 
these soldiers feel themselves pricked 
in their hearts. They dare not speak 
of God or of religion in the presence 
of their companions in arms and licen- 
tiousness ; but serious thoughts have 
gained access to their hearts, and as 
soon as they can escape from the no- 
tice of these mockers, they hasten far 
from the city of Jerusalem, into a 
desert, to listen to pious instruction, 
and say to John the Baptist : " And 
we, what shall we do ? " It is often 
so ; those who appear far from all re- 
ligious emotions, still have in their 
hearts desires to be reconciled to 
God. If they conceal and stifle these 
4 



38 SACRED SCENES. 

feelings, it is because they fear the 
ridicule of their companions, or be- 
cause they love pleasure more than 
God ; but, at the same time, there is 
a struggle within, and in the midst of 
their noisy mirth, they must suffer the 
remorse of conscience. 

The man whom you see standing in 
the foreground of the picture, by the 
side of one who is seated, is a Phari- 
see, or one of a religious sect, among 
the Jews, most scrupulous in their ob- 
servance of the law. But you must 
learn in what this observance consist- 
ed. They fulfilled exactly all the 
outward ceremonies of worship ; they 
w r ent often to the temple, made long 
prayers, and fasted twice in a week. 
But, at the same time, the Pharisees 
neglected the most important duties. 
They were proud, avaricious, unjust, 



SACRED SCENES. 39 

revengeful and even cruel. Jesus, in 
order to show them that although their 
external conduct might seem pure, 
yet, that they were no less corrupt 
within, said to them : " Ye make clean 
the outside of the cup, and platter, 
but within are full of extortion and 
excess. Ye are like whited sepul- 
chres, which indeed appear beautiful 
outward, but are within full of all un- 
eleanness." Look at the brow of that 
man, you will see there a broad fillet, 
upon which some passages of the law 
are written. Do you know why ? 
I will tell you, and then you will un- 
derstand better how they fulfilled the 
duties of their religion. Moses had 
commanded their fathers, when he 
gave them the law from Mount Sinai, 
to preserve this law in their hearts, to 
write it upon their doors, to bind it 






40 SACRED SCENES. 

upon their foreheads. He meant evi- 
dently, to teach them that they should 
practice, in all circumstances, the du- 
ties that this law required. Well, 
see how the Pharisees thought to ful- 
fill this command. They take bands 
of parchment, and write upon them the 
words of the law, and bind them upon 
their foreheads. They seem not to 
suspect, that they ought to put this 
law in their hearts, and observe it in 
their conduct. 

You will see that their manner of 
obeying the command was very easy, 
but very ridiculous and hypocritical. 
John the Baptist said to them : " Who 
has warned you to flee from the wrath 
to come?" This means, why are 
you afraid since you imagine that you 
have fulfilled all the law ? Ah, it is 
your consciences that warn you, that 



SACRED SCENES. 41 

all these hypocritical observances 
will not please God. You wish to be 
baptized ; but my baptism will not 
make you pure. You must repent, 
and do works meet for repentance. 
You think because you are the de- 
scendants of Abraham that you are the 
children of God, and you are proud of 
it. But do you not know, that God is 
able from these stones, to raise up 
children unto Abraham. 

My children, we do not now find 
any persons who are called Pharisees, 
but there are many Pharisees in heart. 
Thus, all those who think themselves 
better than others ; those who think it 
will suffice to attend church, without 
loving God ; those who make long 
prayers in order to seem religious, or 
give their property for the poor, that 

they may have praise from their fellow 
4* 



42 SACRED SCENES. 

men ; all these are Pharisees in the 
hearts. See then, my children, if in 
any of these respects, you are not 
little Pharisees. 

He whom you see seated, having a 
tablet upon his knee, is a Scribe. 
Those were called Scribes, whose 
business it was to write; they were the 
doctors, the learned men. It is as- 
tonishing that a Scribe should come to 
be instructed by John the Baptist. 
But I ought to tell you, that these 
learned men did not occupy them- 
selves so much w T ith the word of God, 
as with books of traditions ; so that, 
instead of being enlightened by the 
Scriptures, they were bewildered by 
their own reasonings. Thus Jesus 
reproaches them, with having taken 
away the law of God, and imposed the 
commandments of men. 




SACRED SCENES. 43 

They asserted in opposition to the 
Bible, that there would be no resur- 
rection of the dead. You see that 
pride of understanding, in this class, 
produced as much evil, as pride of 
character among the Pharisees. 

Fly then this hateful pride, which 
disguises itself in so many ways, and 
which, under the appearance of knowl- 
edge, virtue, and even humility, glides 
into the heart and renders us insup- 
portable to man, and hateful in the 
sight of God. 

A little farther back, behind the 
Pharisee, you see a woman leading 
forward her little boy, that he may 
hear the good words which the pro- 
phet speaks. Mothers are always 
eager to secure instruction for their 
children. See how devoted this one 
was : John preached in the desert ; 



44 SACRED SCENES. 

the crowd came from Jerusalem to 
hear him ; they must take a long 
journey ; nevertheless this feeble wo- 
man, has taken this fatiguing journey 
that she might benefit her child. She 
would not have come probably, mere- 
ly for her own good : for, you see 
that she is the only female in the 
crowd. The others have perhaps 
fallen back overcome with fatigue. 
But a mother can endure much for her 
child, for him she is ready to devote 
her time, her toil, and even her life. 
And do these children always nobly 
repay a mother's devoted love ? Are 
they not sometimes obstinate, rebel- 
lious and ungrateful ? Oh, my chil- 
dren, if you knew how such conduct 
pierces a mother's heart, you would 
surely spare her such anguish, as a 



SA.CRED SCENES. 45 

thankless child inflicts, and, from love 
to her, strive to make some return for 
all her anxieties for you. 

On the other side of the preacher 
you see a river, an axe, and a tree. 
This river is the Jordan in which John 
baptized ; that tree bears no fruit, and 
the axe is placed at its roots, as if 
ready to cut down its useless trunk. 
These are emblems by which to make 
you better understand religious truths. 
That tree without fruit represents a 
man without virtue and usefulness ; 
the axe signifies the justice of 
God ; the whole is a lively image of 
this truth : as the axe, in the hands of 
the woodman, cuts down the sterile 
tree, that it may be burned up, so like- 
wise the justice of God will destroy 
those, who are of no service in his 
vineyard. 



46 SACRED SCENES. 

We have not yet said any thing of 
the most important person present in 
this scene. You may not even have 
perceived him. 

Look far up the mountain, and in 
the distance see Jesus Christ himself, 
coming to be baptized by his servant 
John. 

If you, my children, had been in the 
place of John the Baptist, would you 
not have felt proud to see Jesus 
coming to receive baptism at your 
hands ? In the presence of this crowd 
of witnesses would you not have felt 
a secret pleasure in fulfilling this hon- 
orable office ? Very probably. But 
John was very far from any such 
thoughts ; he judged himself so un- 
worthy of the honor, that, at first, he 
refused, saying: "I need to be bap- 
tized by thee, and dost thou come to 



SACRED SCENES. 47 

me V Yet when Jesus commanded 
him, he accepted, through obedience, 
an honor that he had refused on ac- 
count of his humility. 

What a contrast between the Phar- 
isee and John ! What pride, and what 
humility ! Without doubt, my chil- 
dren, in your hearts you condemn the 
one and approve the other. 

Well, you must remember, that, 
when you endeavor to gain the admi- 
ration of others by the exhibition of 
foolish pride, you are imitating the 
Pharisee, and will probably meet only 
ridicule and contempt. 

Now, that I have finished the de- 
scription of the picture, will you read 
over carefully the beautiful passages 
which describe the scene ? You will 
find them in Matt. 3 : 1—11 ; Luke 3 : 
10—16; Matt. 3: 11—17. 



48 



IV. 



JESUS, HEALING THE SICK. 

This scene, my children, is easy for 
you to understand. You have proba- 
bly already recognized Jesus, not only 
by his noble and divine figure ; but by 
the gracious manner with which he re- 
ceives those poor, sick persons; I pre- 
sume you know also, why, this crowd 
have come near to the Saviour. Each 
resorts to him, perhaps, for the cure 
of a different malady, and yet there is 
one disease of which none wish to be 
healed. Not that they are all free 
from it, on the contrary, all are afflict- 
ed with it, but they do not know it. 



SACRED SCENES. 51 

What then is this disease from which 
all suffer, but of which all are igno- 
rant ? I will tell you directly ; for a 
moment however let us see what re- 
quests are made by this throng around 
Jesus. 

At his feet you see a little infant in 
a cradle. Its mother placed it there, 
and throwing herself upon her knees, 
her hair disordered by her grief, she 
supplicates for the healing of her loved 
child. In the midst of the crowd, 
you see another woman, bringing her 
child in her arms to Jesus. Here we 
see again the love of mothers for their 
children. 

Before Jesus, on the contrary, are 
two sons bringing to him their aged 
and infirm parent, and not satisfied 
with this act of affection, one of them 
kneeling, beseeches the Saviour to heal 



52 SACKED SCENES. 

him. Near him is a poor paralytic, 
who cannot support himself. His wife 
sustains him, reclining upon her knee, 
that he may the more easily see and 
hear Jesus. She raises him with one 
hand, and extends the other, as if to 
impose silence on the crowd, and to 
attract the attention of the Master ; 
and she listened with eager ear, for 
the words which shall fall from the 
lips of the heavenly physician. 

Behind this woman, you see a poor 
blind man. He has only a little boy 
and a staff to guide him. He has 
never seen Jesus, but has heard, that 
he can cause the blind to see, and 
comes that he may receive his sight. 

In the distance you see a crowd of 
persons, returning joyfully to their 
homes ; for they have been healed ; 
and others, hastening to secure a sim- 



SACRED SCENES. 53 

ilar blessing. Among them are the 
lame, the dumb, and the blind. Can 
you imagine what must have been the 
feelings of these afflicted ones, at the 
moment when Jesus pronounced them 
whole ? For many long years, some 
of them had been sufferers. 

That blind man has never seen the 
light. For fifty years, he has heard 
of the glad sun-beams, of brilliant col- 
ors, but they have never brought joy 
to his heart, — all is dark to him. 
For fifty years, he has touched his 
friends and his children, who express 
to him the joy they feel in seeing him ; 
but he understands them not, that 
pleasure he has never known. For 
fifty years, he has heard of the heavens 
glittering with stars ; of the sea of 
Tiberias, calm or agitated ; of the land 
of Galilee covered with verdure ; 
5* 



54 SACRED SCENES. 

Mount Tabor lifting its head above the 
clouds, and the brook Cedron precipi- 
tating itself into the valley ; his chil- 
dren speak to him of these, but he has 
never seen them ; has never seen any 
thing. 

That deaf and dumb man sees his 
fellow beings conversing with each 
other, by a slight motion of the lips, 
but comprehends nothing by it. Lan- 
guage is to him a mystery. He never 
heard a sound. The world is a noise- 
less one to him. 

That poor paralytic sees every one 
in motion around him ; some hurrying 
to the temple, others to a festival, 
others to the market-place ; but he, 
feeble and helpless, cannot even lift 
a drop of water to his parched tongue, 
and must depend upon the aid of 
others, for the gratification of his 
every want. 



SACRED SCENES. 55 

Ah well, this blind man, the mute 
and paralytic, can see, hear, speak and 
walk, if Jesus will but pronounce the 
word. Oh, what powerful prayer 
ought to rise from each of those souls ! 
What confidence they ought to have 
in the Saviour ! They have nothing 
to offer him, nothing to give him in 
return for the services, which they im- 
plore. They simply confide in him, 
they believe on him. They know also 
that Jesus desires nothing more ; for 
he has said to more than one sick per- 
son : "Go in peace, thy faith has 
made thee whole," and they come 
hoping that the same faith will heal 
them. 

What does Jesus, surrounded, press- 
ed and importuned, on every side, by 
this crowd of sufferers ? Does he send 
them away without being healed ? 



56 SACRED SCENES. 

Does he counsel them to take medi- 
cine ? Does he say to them, Come 
again to-morrow and I will heal you ? 
Does he exhort them to have patience ? 
No ; nothing of this. Jesus said to 
all of them: "Be healed/' and they 
were healed. At this astonishing 
miracle, what joy is diffused over the 
multitude. They had come to him 
suffering; they return in health. They 
had come weeping ; they go back with 
songs of joy. Sometimes they pray ; 
sometimes they return thanks. Glory, 
glory, to God, who has made such a 
gift to man ! Glory to Jesus, his Son, 
our Saviour ! May his name be bless- 
ed from age to age ! And may our 
whole lives be employed in speaking 
of what he has done for us ! 

Yet, my dear friends, as I have told 
you, all these sick persons, who feel 






SACRED SCENES. 57 

so deeply their sufferings, and desire 
most earnestly to be freed from them, 
have another disease of which they 
have not even sought the cure. They 
were all great sinners before God, and 
not one of them has asked for pardon. 
They were all anxious for the welfare 
of their bodies, but not one cares for 
his soul. Jesus might have reproached 
them ; and said : " How is it that you 
come to me to request such a little 
thing, w r hen 1 am able to give you a 
much greater blessing ? Why do you 
pray to me to heal your bodies, when 
your souls are in danger of perish- 
ing V But no, this language might 
perhaps have been used by a man, 
but it was not thus the Son of God 
addressed those, w T ho had come to him 
in faith. 

He grants them not only the tern- 



58 SACRED SCENES. 

poral blessing, which they sought, but 
also the spiritual salvation which they 
had not asked. They pray for a little, 
and he gives them much. He grants 
beyond their desire. Thus, when they 
brought a paralytic to Jesus, that he 
might restore to him the use of his 
limbs ; he said to him first : " My son 
thy sins be forgiven thee," and after- 
wards added, " Rise up and walk." 

My children, it is almost two thou- 
sand years since all this passed upon 
the earth ; but since then nothing is 
changed. Mankind still complain of 
their bodily diseases, but think nothing 
of the malady which will destroy their 
souls. Now, as then, Jesus is power- 
ful to heal and to pardon, and if he 
does not do it for you, it is because 
you have not asked him with faith and 
desire. Begin then to pray, then he 



SACRED SCENES. 59 

will pardon your sins, and put his Holy 
Spirit into your hearts. A physician 
does not come, unless he is sent for ; 
even so, Jesus will not pardon you, un- 
less you seek him. Pray then, my 
children, pray with faith, and, as 
the sick persons, so you shall be 
healed. Listen to the account as re- 
lated by the Evangelist. 

" And Jesus went about all Galilee, 
teaching in their synagogues, and 
preaching the gospel of the kingdom, 
and healing all manner of sickness 
and all manner of disease among the 
people. And his fame went through- 
out all Syria ; and they brought unto 
him all sick people that were taken 
with divers diseases, and torments, 
and those which were possessed with 
devils, and those that w r ere lunatic, 
and those that had the palsy, and he 
healed them." Matt. 4 : 23—24. 



60 



V. 

JESUS PREACHING UPON THE 

MOUNTAIN. 

In passing to this new engraving, I 
need not tell you where to look for 
Jesus. You have already selected him 
from among the crowd, by his benig- 
nant countenance, and that hand al- 
ways raised to heaven, as if he could 
not make a gesture, or speak a word, 
that had not some connection with his 
heavenly home. 

Young as you are, you have proba- 
bly observed that every one loves to 
speak of his profession, his country, 
his parents. Every individual uses 



SACRED SCENES. 63 

some expressions, which relate to his 
daily occupation, or which reveal his 
trains of thought. Thus a painter will 
speak to you of colors, forms, scenery ; 
a soldier draws his comparisons from 
camps, armies, combats, victories ; a 
king naturally mingles in his discourse 
the words, throne, crown, and king- 
dom ; and, alas! vicious men often 
make allusions, and unconsciously too, 
which betray their guilty habits. Thus 
all in their conversation reveal some- 
thing of their origin and taste. 

It was so with Jesus. He always, 
and without effort, speaks of religious 
subjects. It is because religion is in 
his heart. He converses of heaven, as 
we do of earth ; heaven was his home. 
He speaks of God as we speak of our 
best parents. God was his father. 
And, strange as it may seem to you, 



64 SACRED SCENES. 

he treats all these subjects, heaven, 
God, eternal life, as familiar things 
that he knows, that he has seen, and 
that do not astonish him. Pie speaks 
of them naturally, as the warrior of his 
sword, the king of his crown — all these 
things are his own, belonging to his 
family and his home ; for he is truly 
the Son of God, who came down from 
heaven. Listen then to his instruc- 
tions upon the mountain. 

First, however, cast a glance upon 
those who surround him. What an 
aspect of attention you perceive in all. 
Some have seated themselves, as if de- 
termined to remain until the end of 
the discourse. You see a youth among 
the number. Others seem to be afraid 
lest they should lose some word, or 
make a slight noise in seating them- 
selves, and remain standing, their 






SACRED SCENES. 65 

heads slightly turned, the ear inclined 
towards Jesus. But among all this 
crowd, those who seem to feel the 
most lively interest, judging from their 
attitude, are that aged man, with his 
hands folded upon his staff, and his 
head resting upon his hands ; and that 
bald man, who inclines his head in or- 
der to hear better, and is so near Jesus 
that he is separated from him only by 
one of the disciples wrapped in a man- 
tle ; then again, that man with his el- 
bow placed upon the rock, and his 
cheek leaning upon his half closed 
hand. It is a little remarkable, that 
these three men, w T ho are apparently 
the most attentive, are old men. Do 
you know, my children, why these old 
men listen so eagerly to a discourse 
which speaks to them of heaven, of 
God, of a life to come ? 
6* 



66 SACRED SCENES. 

It is because these aged persons feel 
more than others, that death is ap- 
proaching, and that it is a terrible 
thing, when they know not what they 
have to hope for, or fear beyond the 
tomb. It is because these venerable 
men have learned by experience, that 
all the beautiful discourses of human 
wisdom, all the flattering promises of 
happiness made by the world, are only 
false and vain, and that now the only 
way by which they can repair their 
lost time, is to hasten to inform them- 
selves concerning their eternal salva- 
tion. 

My children, you are yet young. It 
seems to you strange perhaps that any 
one can be interested in subjects so 
far off, and that are spiritual and heav- 
enly. At this very moment probably 
you prefer the engravings which are 






SACRED SCENES. 67 

before you, to the instructions which 
I give you. But remember that you 
will become old in your turn, and then, 
fearful at the thought of your approach- 
ing end, you will regret that you did 
not listen in your childhood to those 
things which you must know, if you 
would be free from the fear of death. 
If you do not live to become old, it 
will be still worse for you, for then you 
will have less time for this preparation. 
Then the only safe course is, now, in 
your childhood to listen to those things 
which you must learn, if you would be 
happy, and would be saved. 

These are the things in which Jesus 
now instructs you, for his discourse 
commences thus : 

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for 
theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Bless- 
ed are they that mourn ; for they shall 



68 SACRED SCENES. 

be comforted. Blessed are they which 
do hunger and thirst after righteous- 
ness, for they shall be filled. Blessed 
are ye when men shall revile you, 
and persecute you, and say all manner 
of evil against you falsely, for my sake." 
These words of Jesus astonish that 
young man, whom you see seated on 
the left of the picture. Notice his air 
of surprise, as, half rising, he looks 
earnestly at the Saviour. He seems 
to say or to think, " How can one be 
happy when he is poor in spirit, when 
he mourns, when he is persecuted ? 
I thought, on the contrary, that hap- 
piness consisted in joy, in prosperity, 
in being highly esteemed among men." 
But Jesus, divining the thoughts of 
that young man, (and such thoughts 
are common among men,) the better 
to correct his error, speaks to him of 






SACRED SCENES. 69 

the necessity of fulfilling the law of 
God. Therefore he says : 

' 'Verily, I say unto you, till heaven 
and earth pass, one jot or one tittle 
shall in no wise pass from the law, till 
all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore 
shall break one of these least com- 
mandments, and shall teach men so, 
he shall be called the least in the 
kingdom of heaven/ ' 

He speaks again of the difficulty of 
keeping this law, and teaches that we 
must do no evil, neither must we have 
evil thoughts. Not only is it wrong 
to strike a brother, but also to use 
harsh language towards him. 

" You have heard that it w r as said 
by them of old time, 'Thou shalt not 
kill ; and whosoever shall kill, shall be 
in danger of the judgment: but I say 
to you, That whosoever is angry with 



70 SACRED SCENES. 

his brother without a cause, shall be 
in danger of the judgment : and who- 
ever shall say to his brother, Thou 
fool, shall be in danger of hell-fire. " 

Jesus taught them also, that God 
not only requires us to love our friends 
and relatives, but even our enemies. 
" Ye have heard that it hath been said, 
Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate 
thine enemy : but I say to you, Love 
your enemies, bless them that curse 
you, do good to them that hate you, 
and pray for them that clespitefully use 
you, and persecute you." 

After these words, the young man 
who was so astonished at the beati- 
tudes, and those w T ho partook of his 
astonishment, understood fully the re- 
quirements of the law, and they feel 
in their consciences that they have not 
in any manner fulfilled it. Then they 



SACRED SCENES. 71 

become poor in spirit, or humble ; 
they weep over their sins ; they per- 
ceive that they have no righteousness, 
they hunger and thirst for it, and in 
this new disposition of mind they are 
happy. This feeling of destitution 
leads them to desire to acquire the 
virtues they do not possess, and this 
desire makes them attentive to the 
words of Jesus, pointing them to the 
source where all goodness flows. His 
finger raised to heaven, shows them 
that from above they must hope to de- 
rive strength to do right, and he speaks 
to them these words, which are easily 
understood. "Ask, and it shall be 
given you; seek and ye shall find; 
knock and it shall be opened unto you. 
For whosoever asketh, receiveth ; and 
he that seeketh, findeth ; and to him 
that knocketh, it shall be opened." 



72 SACRED SCENES. 






But these men can still hardly con- 
fide in this promise. They cannot 
understand how God, who is in heav- 
en, can care for the whole family of 
man upon the earth. That woman, 
whom you see more eager to support 
her pitcher upon her head, than to lis- 
ten to Jesus, is among the number of 
those who depend less upon God, than 
upon themselves. Such persons think, 
that if they turn aside an hour from 
their worldly employments to think of 
God, it is an hour lost to them. To 
such persons, Jesus speaks thus : 

"Therefore I say to you, Be not 
anxious for your life, what ye shall eat, 
or what ye shall drink : nor yet for 
your body, what ye shall put on. Is 
not the life more than meat, and the 
body than raiment ? Behold the fowls 
of the air : for they sow not, neither 



SACRED SCENES. 73 

do they reap, nor gather into barns ; 
yet your heavenly father feedeth them. 
Are ye not much better than they ? 
Which of you by taking thought can 
add one cubit to his stature ? And why 
take ye thought for raiment ? Consider 
the lilies of the field, how they grow; 
they toil not, neither do they spin ; 
and yet I say to you that even Solo- 
mon in all his glory was not arrayed 
like one of these. Wherefore, if God 
so clothe the grass of the field, which 
to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into 
the oven, will he not much more clothe 
you, ye of little faith ? Therefore 
take no thought, saying, What shall we 
eat? or what shall we drink? or, 
wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For 
after all these things do the Gentiles 
seek) for your heavenly Father knoweth 
that ye have need of all these things. 
7 



74 SACRED SCENES. 

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, 
and his righteousness, and all these 
things shall be added to you. There- 
fore take no thought for the morrow : 
for the morrow shall take thought for 
the things of itself. Sufficient unto 
the day is the evil thereof." 

On hearing these words, the female, 
bearing her pitcher, stops and half 
turns around. She doubts no longer 
the power of God ; but she doubts still 
his willingness, and she says to her- 
self, God can answer my prayers, but 
I do not know that he will. Perhaps 
he is too great to occupy himself with 
us lowly beings. Jesus divines her 
thoughts and thus answers : " What 
man is there of you, who, if his son 
shall ask bread, will give him a stone? 
Or, if he shall ask a fish, will he give 
him a serpent ? If ye then being evil 



SACRED SCENES. 75 

know how to give good gifts to your 
children, how much more shall your 
Father who is in heaven give good 
things to them that ask him ?" 

If the men that you see around Je- 
sus, all listen to him with attention, 
all are not pleased. Some even hear 
with displeasure, these maxims are so 
new and strange to them. 

That man, whose head alone you 
perceive, in front of those three fe- 
males upon the right, displeasure 
painted upon his countenance, that man 
is among those who are offended at the 
Saviour's words. By his head a little 
lowered, by his contemptuous look, 
and above all, by his compressed lips, 
you may see that he does not relish 
what he hears. He, who is seated on 
the right near the Roman soldier, who 
hardly turns his face towards Jesus, 
seems no better pleased. 



76 SACRED SCENES. 

What does Jesus say, which offends 
these two men ? I must first tell you 
who these persons are. They have 
never killed any one, have never stol- 
en, have never wronged their neigh- 
bor; they can boast even that they 
have always avoided impure actions, 
and that they have done no evil in their 
lives. They doubt not, for an instant, 
that they are pure in the sight of God, 
and that they merit heaven. Thus 
when they came to Jesus, it was less 
with a desire to learn any thing from 
him, than to gratify their vanity in 
showing their knowledge of the law, 
and the purity of their characters. 
But what is the astonishment of these 
two men, so self-confident when Jesus 
tells them, It is not enough that you 
have done no evil, for your sinful 
thoughts are all noticed by God. It 



SACRED SCENES. 77 

is not enough that you love your 
friends, God commands you to love 
your enemies. You see that these 
men are now obliged after this new 
measure of morality, to confess them- 
selves impure, unjust and selfish. They 
know well that they have not loved 
their enemies, forgiven those who have 
offended them, nor avoided sinful 
thoughts. But as these do not wish 
to renounce the good opinion they had 
of themselves, they are sorrowful when 
they listen to Jesus. " For I say unto 
you, That except your righteousness 
shall exceed the righteousness of the 
Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no 
case enter into the kingdom of heaven. 
Ye have heard that it hath been said, 
An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a 
tooth. But I say unto you, That ye 
resist not evil : but whoever shall 



78 SACRED SCENES. 

strike thee on thy right cheek, turn to 
him the other also. Give to him that 
asketh thee, and from him that would 
borrow of thee, turn not thou away. 

"For if ye love them which love 
you, what reward have ye ? Do not 
even the publicans the same ? And 
if ye salute your brethren only, what 
do ye more than others ? do not even 
the publicans so ? Be ye therefore 
perfect, even as your Father in heaven 
is perfect." 

Learn then, my children, that it is 
not sufficient to obey the law in doing 
no evil ; it is still more important to 
guard yourselves from evil thoughts. 
Learn also that God observes our ac- 
tions, whether good or bad, only as 
they are the expression of the feelings 
of the heart. 

Jesus then relates the history of a 



SACRED SCENES. 79 

Pharisee, who distributes his alms 
at the corners of the streets in Jerusa- 
lem, and who takes care to sound a 
trumpet before him, in order that pass- 
ers by may observe and praise his 
liberality to the poor. True, his money 
is useful. The needy buy bread or 
clothing, and they might say with truth, 
that the Pharisee had ministered to 
their wants, perhaps saved their lives. 
But as this man had no love in his 
heart for the poor ; as he gave them 
alms only to gratify his pride, Jesus 
declares, that notwithstanding all his 
apparently good works, he shall 
receive no recompense from God. 
Read carefully now my dear children, 
the lesson upon charity contained in 
Mat. 6 : 1—6. 



80 



VI. 



JESUS RAISING THE WIDOW'S SON. 

Before explaining this new engrav- 
ing to you, my dear children, I will 
narrate the history which it illustrates. 

Not far from the city of Capernaum, 
near the lake of Gennezareth, in a 
small town called Nain, lived a Jewish 
family, consisting of the parents, and 
one well-beloved son. At that time, 
and especially among the Jews, there 
was not much that we call commerce 
or trade. Every one possessed and 
cultivated lands, that had been a her- 
itage, transmitted from father to son, 
from the most remote ages. All the 



SACRED SCENES. 83 

dependence of the family was upon the 
labor of its head. You know that the 
earth, unless cultivated, will not bring 
forth a harvest. Female care and 
management are doubtless necessary 
to produce order and domestic comfort, 
but, of themselves, will not provide a 
morsel of bread or a drop of water ; 
and children only add to the expenses 
of a family. It is necessary to feed 
and clothe, and instruct them for many 
years, before they can be useful. 

You will understand now, that all 
the resources of the family at Nain, 
were in the active exertions of the 
father. When he tilled his field, and 
cultivated the vine, his wife and child 
lived in ease. If the seasons were 
bad, they could still subsist by using 
great economy. What then would be- 
come of them, if the father should be 



84 SACRED SCENES. 

unable to labor? His life was very pre- 
cious since it sustained three lives. 
Ah well, my children, it happened 
that the father died; and his widow 
and son were overwhelmed with grief. 
This is not all. Whether this poor 
widow had hoarded up some little sav- 
ings, or had been able to subsist by 
the rent of her field, I know not: but 
in some way, she had reared her son 
to manhood, and now depended on his 
exertions for support in her old age. 
But alas! You know that very often 
your little plans are defeated ; and 
thus was the cherished one of this poor 
widow. 

This son, her only son, who alone 
could support and take care of her in 
the decline of life, this son whom she 
loved better than life itself, this son 
died also ! and the unfortunate widow 



SACRED SCENES. 85 

of Nain found herself alone in the 
world. Her last earthly support has 
broken in her hands. What now will 
become of her? 

When one has lost a relative, a 
dearly loved friend, the heart, at first, 
refuses to believe it. It seems impos- 
sible. He sees the body lying im- 
movable, and tries to persuade himself, 
that his friend only sleeps, and will 
soon awake. When he is placed on 
the bier, the thought still comes back, 
that a lethargy has fallen upon him 
from which he will arouse. Even 
when the earth covers him from sight 
he seeks still to deceive himself. He 
cannot justify this foolish expectation 
of a return to life, but he hopes still; 
he hopes against all hope. Yes, my 

i children, it is thus; and this illusion, 
which we fondly seek to throw around 

I 8 



86 SACRED SCENES. 

ourselves, is an evidence that we are 
not destined to an eternal separation ; 
it is a proof that if our friends cannot 
come back to us, we shall go to them. 
Such was probably the feeling of the 
poor widow of Nain. Her son was al- 
ready placed upon the litter, which 
would bear him to the tomb. His rel- 
atives had formed the procession, the 
mother walked by the side of the life- 
less remains. What a poor thing the 
body is, without the life-giving soul; 
but yet how hard to separate from it. 
We linger near it as long as possible, 
and gaze upon the loved remains un- 
til the earth covers them from our 
sight. 

This terrible moment approached; 
the procession had passed the gate of 
the city, and the cemetery was near. 
The widow's heart failed within her, 



SACRED SCENES. 87 

her last illusion has fled. For her son 
is dead, — dead forever. 

Jesus arrives. He touches the bier. 
The bearers place it upon the ground, 
and the procession stops. What is he 
going to do? Every body is astonish- 
ed to see a man (for Jesus is only a 
man to those who know him not,) in- 
terrupt a funeral procession. All eyes 
were turned upon him, and seemed to 
say : " What do you wish." The moth- 
er alone is less astonished than rejoic- 
ed at the delay. It will defer, a 
moment, the dreaded separation. She 
hopes nothing from man, but affliction 
has caused faith to spring up in her 
heart. She believes in Jesus, and Je- 
sus extending his hand over the lifeless 
body said: '-Young man, I say unto 
thee, Arise." Immediately the dead 
arose and began to speak. The moth- 



88 SACRED SCENES. 

er threw herself on her knees, wept, 
prayed, returned thanks and worship- 
ed the Saviour. 

Look now at the engraving and you 
will recognize this scene. The dead 
is restored to life, he sits up, and feels 
his head, as though he would assure 
himself, that he is not under the spell 
of a dream. The mother is on her 
knees ; not by the side of Jesus, but 
near her son, as if she still loved her 
child more than her God. Her move- 
ment was so rapid, that her veil was 
raised by the agitation of the air 
around her. Jesus extends one hand 
over the body, to indicate that it is by 
his power, that this young man will be 
restored, and at the same time raises 
the other to heaven, to show to those 
around, that it is not man, but God, 
who restores life, as it was He, who 



SACRED SCENES. 89 

gave it first. By this miracle, Je- 
sus not only shows that he is the Son 
of God, but that one day, he will re- 
store life to those around the bier, and 
to you also my children, for whom I 
write this book. 

There is one thing which perhaps 
may appear to you strange. The 
Evangelist speaking of those, who 
witnessed the resurrection, tells us 
that, "Fear seized them all." Why 
did they fear, perhaps you inquire? 
If I had been there, I think I should 
have rejoiced to witness such a mira- 
cle. Did these men comprehend that 
it was God who raised that young 
man? Yes, my children, they know it 
is a miracle, and that God is the au- 
thor of it, and they feel that God is 
present there by his power ; and this 
it is which makes them fear and trem- 
8* 



90 SACRED SCENES. 

ble. Their fear of God springs from 
a consciousness of guilt. But I will 
illustrate this so that you may under- 
stand it better. When you awake in 
the morning, you go into the presence 
of your parents : with a light heart, 
you wish them "Good morning " and 
give them an affectionate kiss ; you are 
not afraid of them. But if in the course 
of the day you have secretly committed 
some fault, how you strive to avoid 
their presence; you dread to meet 
them for you feel guilty before them. 
Thus did these persons feel when the 
miracle of Jesus made them conscious 
of the presence of God. Had they 
been like little infants they would have 
felt no fear, for then, they would not 
have been weighed down by a guilty 
conscience. 

And, my children, if at this mo- 



SACRED SCENES. 91 

merit God should present himself to 
you, would you not be afraid? I think 
you would. Like these men, you all 
feel, that you have done wrong. It is 
well that you should tremble in view 
of your guilt ; in order that you may 
rejoice that Jesus has come, not mere- 
ly to restore the dead to life, but to 
renew those who are dead in sin. Je- 
sus pardons you, and you come out of 
the gloomy prison of sin ; He gives you 
his Holy Spirit, and you spring up to 
a life of purity and happiness com- 
pared with which a life of sin is as 
death. Tremble and be afraid on ac- 
count of guilt, that you may fly to Je- 
sus for pardon, and rejoice in a new 
life. Thus did these Jews, for the 
Evangelist further adds: " They glo- 
rified God." Here is his account of 
this scene. 



92 SACRED SCENES. 

"Now when he came nigh to the 
gate of the city, behold there was a 
dead man carried out, the only son of 
his mother, and she was a widow : and 
many people of the city were with her. 
And when the Lord saw her, he had 
compassion on her, and said to her, 
Weep not. And he came and touched 
the bier : And they that bore him 
stood still. And he said, Young man, 
I say to thee, Arise. And he that 
was dead sat up, and began to speak, 
and he delivered him to his mother. 
And there came a fear on all : and 
they glorified God, saying, That a 
great prophet hath risen among us, 
and, that God hath visited his people. 
And this rumor of him went forth 
throughout all Judea, and throughout 
all the region round about. " Luke 
7: 12—17. 



95 



VII. 

JESUS WALKING UPON THE WATER. 

Look, my children, at this raging 
sea. How the waves are thrown into 
the air, and dashed furiously against 
each other ! Notice the form of that 
vessel, how ancient ! It looks as if it 
were modeled from nature, in imitation 
of a dolphin sporting in the waves. 
The stern spreading itself like a fan, 
resembles the tail of the fish, the prow 
is large and round like the head ; the 
two round openings, through which 
the oars pass, are in place of the two 
eyes, and the oars themselves resemble 
the fins on the sides of the fish. And 



96 SACRED SCENES. 

those three men, who in the midst of 
the tempest seem to have forgotten 
their danger, who drop the oars and 
sails to come and lean over the side 
of the vessel, what do they gaze upon 
with so much curiosity ? How does 
that person in the centre of the picture 
stand, while he is now half covered 
with the waters ? How is he, who 
extends to him his hand, supported on 
the yielding, liquid surface, and ena- 
bled to walk as firmly as we do upon 
the land ? Are those waters frozen 
by severe cold ? No, for by his side 
a man is half sinking, and around them 
the light waves are raised by the wind. 
What then does all this mean ? Listen, 
my friends, I will tell you. 

One day Jesus was on the other side 
of the sea of Tiberias, and as he de- 
sired to pass some hours of the night 



SACRED SCENES. 97 

in prayer, alone upon the solitary 
mountain, he commanded his disciples 
to re-embark and return to the land of 
Gennesaret. Jesus then ascended the 
hill, while his disciples sought their 
little vessel. 

It was night : our sailors had come 
into the midst of the sea, when a furi- 
ous tempest arose : the wind was con- 
trary ; the waves rolled high and op- 
posed themselves like an ever chang- 
ing rampart to the progress of the ship. 
The apostles, already exhausted by 
fatigue, and alarmed at their danger, 
perceive in the darkness a phantom 
gliding upon the surface of the waves, 
and approaching them. Terrified, they 
say one to another, it is a ghost. The 
form still advances, and the apostles 
tremble more and more. The phan- 
tom is now but a little way off, and al- 
9 



98 SACRED SCENES. 

ready they think it has entered their 
vessel, and feel it at their side. Their 
fear is at its height, and altogether 
they utter a fearful shriek. But then, 
a sweet, well-known voice, a friendly 
voice, says to them calmly : " It is I, 
be not afraid." It was Jesus himself. 

Imagine, my dear children, how 
much good those words did to the 
frightened apostles. How quickly do 
they pass from fear to joy. It is I, 
says Jesus to them ; that is to say : it 
is I, your master and friend ; it is I, 
who calm the winds and waves by my 
word ; it is I, who am able to raise the 
dead ; fear nothing then, it is I. 

My dear children, have you never 
been alone in the middle of the night, 
and felt afraid without knowing why ? 
The slightest noise, the creaking of 
the furniture, a breath of air, any thing 



SACRED SCENES. 99 

will suffice to increase your terrors. 
Then, in the darkness, you hear some 
one slowly approaching with silent 
steps. What a moment of anguish. 
You hardly dare speak or move, and 
scarcely breathe. At length summon- 
ing all your power you cry out : Who 
is there ? Then the voice of your 
mother replies : It is I. Oh ! how 
you are comforted. How eagerly you 
turn to that which but a moment be- 
fore was the object of your terror, and 
how rapidly do your feelings change 
from fear to the most lively joy. 
Well, thus precisely did the apostles 
feel. Jesus was more to them than a 
mother ; he was their God. What 
then could they have to fear 1 

Peter, one of the apostles, was so 
fully re-assured, that he confided in 
the power of Jesus to enable him to 



100 SACRED SCENES. 

walk upon the water, and asked per- 
mission to go and meet him. Jesus 
granted his request, and Peter de- 
scended the side of the bark, and was 
sustained on the water. But as he 
advanced towards Jesus, a violent wind 
raised the waves like mountains around 
him, and he was troubled. He thought 
that perhaps the power of Jesus had 
bounds, and that he would not be able 
to sustain him in this great peril. In 
one word, Peter was afraid ; he doubt- 
ed, and immediately he felt the waters 
yielding under his feet. His greater 
fear increases his doubts, and the more 
he doubts, the faster he sinks. At 
length, unable to restrain his fear, 
he throws out his arms towards 
Jesus, and says: "Lord save me/' 
It is at this moment that you see him 
in the engraving : the waves already 



S4CRED SCENES. 101 

half cover his limbs ; his garments are 
drenched with the waters, and his arms 
are extended in order to seize the 
hand of Jesus. His lips half open seem 
to say, "Save me, Save me." Im- 
mediately, the Evangelist tells us, 
Jesus took hold of Peter and said to 
him : " Oh thou of little faith, where- 
fore didst thou doubt ?" Then they 
both entered the ship; the wind ceased, 
and they directed their course towards 
the land of Gennesaret. 

But, perhaps you wish to inquire : 
Why did Jesus after permitting Peter 
to come to him, suffer him to sink ? 
His fear was perfectly natural. His 
doubts injured no one, why then did 
Jesus punish Peter so severely as to 
expose him to death, only because he 
feared and doubted. My children, I 
will answer you by a comparison. 
9* 



102 SACRED SCENES. 

Your parents, you know, have always 
given you whatever was necessary for 
you. When you have been sick, they 
have watched at your bed-side ; when 
in health and joyous, they have furn- 
ished you with amusements. In short, 
you have had every thing which you 
could reasonably desire. Suppose now 
that one of you should go to your pa- 
rent and say, " My father, I am afraid 
that you will deprive me of food, and 
leave me to perish with hunger. My 
father, I fear that when these clothes 
are worn out, you will not give me 
any more, and I shall suffer with the 
cold. My father, I doubt your good- 
ness and your affection for me." If 
one of you should speak thus, would 
it not deeply wound the heart of your 
kind parent, and well nigh deprive you 
of his care and love. Might he not in 



SACRED SCENES. 103 

justice reply to you: " Ungrateful 
child, who has given you a right to 
insult me, by thus doubting my ten- 
derness ? Have I not always done 
more for your comfort than my own ? 
Well, since you do not confide in me, 
I abandon you to yourself. Since you 
do not wish to trust the love and pro- 
tection of your father, I withdraw that 
love and protection." Could you 
complain of such language, in return 
for your unbelief? Yet my children, 
such conduct on your part would be 
like that of Peter, while your parent 
would be imitating Jesus. Jesus had 
done much more for Peter than your 
father has ever done for you. After 
havmg taken him from being a poor 
fisherman upon the Lake of Gennesa- 
ret, he had been his friend, permitted 
him to witness his miracles, explained 



104 SACRED SCENES. 

to him his doctrine, and promised him 
eternal life. And now, when Jesus 
has given Peter so many proofs of his 
love and power, at the moment even, 
when he enables him to walk upon the 
water, Peter dares to doubt. He dares 
think that perhaps Jesus cannot, or 
will not support him for a few steps 
farther. Yes, my children, such a 
doubt is an outrage against Jesus, and 
if Peter had been left to sink in the 
waters, it would have been a just con- 
sequence of his wicked unbelief. 

Do you understand now, why on al- 
most every page the Evangelist com- 
mands us to believe and trust in Jesus? 
It is because our doubts insult him, 
and Jesus will not give his rich mer- 
cies to the sinner who believes not, 
any more than a rich man would re- 
lieve a beggar who should say to him : 




SACRED SCENES. 105 



"You are too poor and too avaricious 
to give me a penny." No, my chil- 
dren, neither Jesus or God can bear 
with doubts ; they wish to be confided 
in entirely. God answers all those 
who ask him with faith ; but he gives 
nothing to those who do not believe 
and do not ask. When he grants a 
blessing to a believer, it is not that he 
merits any thing, but God grants it 
through his own compassion and love. 
Faith merits nothing, wherefore the 
Evangelist says that God gives us 
grace. The child merits nothing of its 
father, yet his father gives him all 
things. Adam merited nothing of 
God, yet God gave him life. Be 
not astonished then, that Jesus the Son 
of God gives, to those w T ho confide in 
him, pardon of their sins and eternal 
life, although they do not merit it. 



106 SACRED SCENES. 

The man who doubts this, puts bounds 
to the power and goodness of God. 

But let us return to Peter ; listen 
now how Matthew, who witnessed this 
scene, describes it. 

" And straightway Jesus constrained 
his disciples to get into a ship, and to 
go before him unto the other side, 
while he sent the multitudes away. 
And when he had sent the multitudes 
away, he went up into a mountain 
apart to pray : and when the evening 
was come he was there alone. But 
the ship was now in the midst of the 
sea, tossed with waves : for the wind 
was contrary. And in the fourth 
watch of the night Jesus went unto 
them, walking upon the sea. And 
when the disciples saw him walking on 
the sea, they were troubled, saying, 
It is a spirit ; and they cried out for 



SACRED SCENES. 107 

; fear. But straightway Jesus spake 
unto them, saying, Be of good cheer: 
it is I ; be not afraid. And Peter an- 

j swered him and said, Lord, if it be 
thou, bid me come unto thee on the 

; water. And he said, Come. And 

I when Peter was come down out of the 

; ship, he walked on the water, to go to 
Jesus. But when he saw the wind 

-boisterous, he was afraid ; and, begin- 
ning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, 
save me. And immediately Jesus 
stretched forth his hand, and caught 
him, and said unto him, 0, thou of lit- 
tle faith, wherefore didst thou doubt ? 
And when they were come into the 
ship, the wind ceased. Then they 

'that were in the ship came and wor- 

ishiped him, saying, Of a truth thou art 

the Son of God." Matt. 14 : 22—34. 



108 



VIII. 



RESURRECTION OF LAZARUS. 

As you glance at this engraving, I 
presume you are eager to ask several 
questions. And first, Who is that 
man coming forth from the cave, we 
see in that rock ? He has something 
wrapped closely around him, and his 
face is pale and sorrowful. Why are 
those females kneeling with their arms 
extended towards him, and what is the 
matter with those workmen, who have 
fallen back by the mountain ? There 
is a Jew, running, as if for his life, and 
the whole crowd seem deeply inter- 
ested. What can all this mean ? 



SACRED SCENES. Ill 

Have patience, my dear children, and 
I will satisfy your curiosity, and in 
doing so, shall give you a recital that 
will astonish you not less than this 
picture. 

As I have before told you, Jesus 
loves all men ; but for some individ- 
uals he seemed when on earth to 
manifest a very tender attachment. 
Among this number was a family at 
Bethany, consisting of Lazarus andhis 
two sisters, Martha and Mary. Laza- 
rus fell sick, and his sisters in their 
anxiety, sent to Jesus that he might 
come and heal their brother. But the 
Saviour instead of hastening at the 
summons to the sick-bed of his friend, 
remained where he was, until Lazarus 
was dead. He suffered him to die 
without bearing to him a word of con- 
solation, without offering one prayer 



112 SACRED SCENES. 

for his recovery, even though a word 
from him would have saved his life. 
But this is not all. After having de- 
layed his departure for some days, 
when at length he entered Bethany, 
and heard the sisters of Lazarus, 
mourning and gently reproaching him, 
that he had not come sooner, in order 
that their brother might have lived, 
He diverts the conversation from a 
topic on which mourners love to dwell, 
and speaks to Mary, not of the de- 
parted, but of her own faith. 

Is Jesus then no longer the friend of 
the unhappy, whom heretofore he has 
comforted ? Has he no longer that 
loving heart which warmed towards 
little children, and blessed them ? 
This conduct seems even more strange 
to you than the engraving, and I do 
not wonder ; but I think I can soon 



SACRED SCENES. 113 

explain it, so that you will still see the 
Saviour in his character of benevo- 
lence. Yes, my friends, Jesus is al- 
ways the same, the best friend of man ; 
and he was then too, the tender 
mourner with the bereaved family at 
Bethany. It was because he loved 
them so much, and because he also 
sought the good of his disciples, and of 
the Jews, who came to comfort the 
afflicted sisters, and of you also my lit- 
tle readers, that he suffered him to die, 
Martha and Mary to sorrow, the in- 
habitants of Bethany to mourn. One 
word will explain every thing, which 
may seem strange in this conduct of 
Jesus. He loves mankind not for a few 
days, or years, nor even for this short 
life only ; but he loves them for the 
existence they will have through eter- 
nity. In suffering Lazarus to die, he 
10* 



114 SACRED SCENES. 

wished to convey a most important les- 
son. Had he simply healed him while 
sick, many would have thought of him 
only as a skillful physician : but when 
the dead was restored to life, they 
were obliged to confess the miracle. 
If Jesus had spared his friends the 
pangs of death, and thus checked the 
tears of Martha and Mary, he would 
only have spared them a short period 
of suffering ; but in permitting him to 
die, that he might restore him again to 
life, he blessed their souls eternally, 
by causing them to believe in him. In 
this miracle, it was not the raising of 
Lazarus, merely, that Jesus had in 
view. He designed the good of those 
who witnessed the miracle, that be- 
lieving on him as the Son of God, they 
might have eternal life. Of what con- 
sequence, then, my children, was it, 



SACRED SCENES. 115 

that Lazarus suffered a little bodily 
pain, if, by means of his death, many 
were blessed forever. 

You see now in what manner Jesus 
loves his friends. He confers upon 
them an enduring good, which not only 
they enjoy, but all who may live after 
them, to whom this wonderful miracle 
may be made known. Even you, my 
children, young as you are, and long 
ago as the period was w T hen this was 
done, may say with truth, It was for 
me that Jesus restored Lazarus to life, 
Even then, he bore me on his heart. 

The sight of this miracle produced 
two very different effects upon those 
Jews who were gathered together. As 
you will observe, some raise their eyes 
to heaven, and run towards Lazarus, 
or fall upon their knees. These admit 
the evidence, and believe that Jesus is 



116 SACRED SCENES. 

the Son of God. Others stand im- 
movable, as that old man whom you 
see with the bald head, his hand upon 
his breast, standing at the right of Ma- 
ry. This man says to himself: "What 
is to be done ? This Jesus, who has 
been condemned by our friends, the 
Pharisees, has just performed a great 
miracle. If we let him alone, every 
body will believe on him, as do the 
crowd around at this moment. Then 
he will drive us from our temple at 
Jerusalem, or our enemies, the Ro- 
mans, will come to destroy our city, 
and our nation- Let us hasten to in- 
form our rulers, perhaps they will find 
means of destroying this man, who 
makes us odious to the people, and 
who will deprive us of honor, reputa- 
tion and wealth/' Thus this person, 
loving better to enjoy these vanities 



SACRED SCENES. 117 

for a few days in this world, than to 
believe in Jesus, and live eternally in 
the bosom of God, goes with some like 
him to inform the Pharisees. 

Thus you see, my children, that the 
sight of a miracle, even, will not con- 
vince men of truth, when they are 
blinded by passion and interest. The 
clearest proofs, the most astonishing 
deeds are lightly heeded by those, 
who delight in evil. The wicked pre- 
fer to believe what is absurd, if it fa- 
vor their passions, than to admit the 
evidence of that which opposes their 
wishes. Thus every day, you see men 
indulging in riot, sloth and intemper- 
ance, although they know, that these 
vices will lead to misery, suffering 
and death. Do you not, my children, 
sometimes indulge in pleasures, w r hich 
you know will lead to sad conse- 






118 SACRED SCENES. 

quences? Your conduct will, then, 
explain to you, that of these Jews, 
who did not wish to believe in Christ, 
even though they had seen him restore 
life to the dead. 

But as the narrative, given by the 
Evangelist, is full of interest, and 
longer than the account I have now 
finished, I desire you to turn to the 
eleventh chapter of St. John's gospel, 
where you may read it for yourselves. 



121 



IX. 

THE TRIUMPHANT ENTRY OF JESUS 
INTO JERUSALEM. 

My children, ancient history has 
preserved the accounts of two tri- 
umphal entries, to which I shall 
invite your attention ; those of Alex- 
ander the Great, and Jesus of Naza- 
reth. The details which are given, 
contrast singularly, the splendor and 
pomp of Alexander, with the hu- 
mility of Jesus. Monarchs hastened 
from all parts of the known world, to 
do divine homage to the king of Mace- 
don ; Jesus was attended, only by the 
11 



122 SACRED SCENES. 

children and common people. The 
governor of Babylon commanded the 
road to be strewn with flowers, and 
altars of silver sent up clouds of per- 
fumed incense, as the hero of war 
passed by ; the disciples adorned 
the way with branches of palm, and 
threw their own garments under the 
feet of the Prince of Peace. Alex- 
ander was borne in a chariot, re- 
splendent with gold, and precious 
stones, preceded by gifts destined for 
the conqueror, while panthers and lions 
were led, enchained by his side ; but 
Jesus was carried upon the mild and 
humble foal of an ass. The eastern 
Magi chanted hymns in honor of Al- 
exander — the Chaldean astrologers 
predicted a glorious destiny, and equal- 
ed him with the Gods — a throng of 
musicians united the sweet harmony 



SACRED SCENES. 123 

of their instruments to the intoxicating 
t flattery of the poets ; but around Jesus 
!» some humble Jews cried : " Hosanna 
• to the Son of David ! Blessed is he, 
i who cometh in the name of the Lord! 
l Hosanna in the highest." Alexander 
t was followed by thousands of cavalry 
9 and footmen — an entire nation brought 

I up the rear of the army ; while Jesus 
had at his command only his twelve 
■ apostles, formerly fishermen on the 

I Lake Gennesaret, or tax-gatherers in 
Capernaum. What magnificence on 
the side of Alexander ! What humili- 
ty on the part of Jesus ! How much 
preferable is the destiny of the world's 
conqueror, to that of the obscure off- 
spring of David. But judge not so 
hastily, my children, you have seen 
but the appearance, now let us look at 
the reality. Those kings who come 



124 SACKED SCENES. 

at the approach of Alexander, to do 
him homage, have been conquered by 
him. They endeavor to conceal their 
chagrin ; but secretly hate him, whom 
they deify; the children, who cele- 
brate the glory of Jesus, in the temple 
at Jerusalem, are compelled by no one. 
Their songs are the natural expression 
of their joys. The people of Babylon 
have been conquered by force, and 
whether they wish it, or not, they are 
forced to honor their conqueror ; but 
the Jews, far from being constrained 
to honor Jesus, are forbidden by the 
Pharisees. The Chaldeans come out 
to meet Alexander, whom they fear 
and hate ; while the children of Israel 
hasten 1o welcome Jesus, whom they 
revere and love. The poets of Baby- 
lon sing the praises of the person, who 
pays them for doing it ; but the people 



125 

of Jerusalem sound forth the glories of 
one, who had not a penny to buy their 
favor. The glory of Alexander is on- 
ly a false show; that of Jesus is real. 
Alexander has the homage of the lips ; 
Jesus that of the heart. Those smile 
on the conqueror while they hate him; 
these smile on Jesus and love him still 
more. If the Chaldeans had been 
able, they w r ould have thrown the he- 
ro from his chariot, and placed there- 
Iin, their own conquered king; but, if 
the Jews could have had their wish, 
they would have raised Jesus from his 
humble seat to occupy a throne. 

Learn now, my children, how to 
value that, which is only in appear- 
ance. See, whether you would not 
prefer friends of a plain, but truthful 
character, rather than those who flat- 
ter with their tongues and use deceit. 
IP 



126 SACRED SCENES. 

You will probably find some children, 
who will caress and flatter you for 
their own selfish purposes, while oth- 
ers will speak to you of your faults, 
that you may correct them. Remem- 
ber that your greatest enemies are those 
who flatter you. 

Now, observe how the glory of Alex- 
ander is eclipsed, and how the humble 
honors, rendered to Jesus, are indeed 
the highest adoration — Alexander en- 
tered Babylon, and there died a vic- 
tim to his own excess, in the debauch of 
a festival. Jesus went up to Jerusalem 
and there offered himself a sacrifice 
for the redemption of mankind. Since 
that period the lustre of the hero's 
name has been growing dim ; that of 
Jesus, on the contrary, has always 
been increasing in glory, so that at the 
present time, the hero is only remem- 



SACRED SCENES. 127 

bered in history, while Jesus lives in 
the hearts of thousands and thousands 
of Christians. Alexander, who then 
was honored as a God, is now consid- 
ered only a man; Jesus, who then was 
esteemed a man, is now acknowledged 
as God. The vast empire of Alexan- 
der was overthrown at his death ; the 
kingdom of the Saviour was founded 
at his crucifixion, and since that peri- 
od has spread to the ends of the earth. 
Yet, my friends, Alexander had nu- 
merous armies, treasures and kings 
for his support ; and Jesus had neither 
army, wealth nor powerful friends; 
he had not even a place where to lay 
his head. How then can we explain 
this reverse and success. In a very 
simple manner my children : Jesus is 
the Son of God : Alexander was but a 
man. 



128 SACRED SCENES. 

Now let us approach nearer to this 
triumphal entry of Jesus, and exam- 
ine all that is described in the engrav- 
ing. Jesus, knowing that he should 
die at Jerusalem to expiate the sins of 
men, voluntarily went up to the city. 
After having restored Lazarus to life, 
he sent his disciples to seek the foal of 
an ass, that he might mount it, and go 
up to Jerusalem. He wished thus to 
show that his should be a peaceful reign, 
and that the first virtue of the Chris- 
tian, is humility. His apostles place 
their garments upon the ass, and Je- 
sus mounts. While these things take 
place, the news of the resurrection of 
Lazarus is spread through the city. 
You recollect that some, who witness- 
ed it, went immediately to inform the 
Pharisees. While on the other side, 
those, who by this miracle had been 



SACRED SCENES. 129 

brought to believe on Jesus hastened 
to Jerusalem to tell their friends, rel- 
atives and all whom they met. Al- 
ready had the miracles, performed by 
Jesus, excited great interest: but now 
the feeling was one of enthusiasm to- 
wards him. The Jews, who had come 
from all parts of Palestine, to cele- 
brate the feast of the Passover, talked 
of nothing but Jesus. They say to 
each other ; " Who knows whether he 
will be at the festival?" At this mo- 
ment they hear, that Jesus, followed 
by his apostles and many disciples, is 
approaching the city, and that his train 
is increased at every step, by those 
whom they meet. Then universal joy 
is felt by all, and they hasten out to 
meet the Son of God. See what a 
throng rush from the narrow gates of 
the city, gathering in their way 






130 SACRED SCENES. 

branches of the palm. Many climb 
the trees, and from the tops throw 
down branches to the crowd, who 
strew them under the Saviour's feet. 
Others spread their garments in the 
way ; and some kneel down, with their 
faces to the ground, as if they would 
throw themselves under the feet of 
their Lord. While the crowd hasten 
from the city, to meet Jesus their spir- 
itual king, his disciples talk of what 
they have just witnessed : the dead 
called forth from the tomb, walking, 
speaking, full of life after having been 
buried four days. Those who listen 
are astonished, and all join in the 
praise, " Hosanna to the son of David! 
Blessed is he who cometh in the name 
of the Lord ! Hosanna in the highest." 
Oh, my children, how pure is the 
joy of those who thus follow their 



SACRED SCENES. 131 

heavenly friend, who sing his praises 
from their hearts, who confide in his 
promises ! Our master is the Son of 
God, says one. Yes, and he pardons 
all our sins, says another. Alas ! He 
goes up to die for us, says a third. 
But he will rise from the grave, and, 
together with us, enter into heaven, 
cried another voice ; and with this 
sweet discourse they edify and rejoice 
each other. 

Is it not strange, that conversation 
about our heavenly hopes, instead of 
interesting children like you, often 
wearies them ? Do not sermons ap- 
pear long and tiresome to you ? Does 
not prayer fatigue you ; and do you 
ever converse upon religious things 
with each other ? Thus you see, my 
children, that holy things, which ought 
to delight you, are displeasing to you 



132 SACRED SCENES. 

naturally. Even now, I am obliged to 
present to you pictures, to win your 
attention to narratives, which ought to 
interest you of themselves. This 
shows that the natural heart, whether 
mine, or yours, or that of any other 
man, is not turned towards goodness, 
and it is necessary, that the Holy 
Spirit of God should change it, before 
it can love what is pure and holy. 
And God w T ill do this, even for little 
children, as you will see. 

Jesus enters Jerusalem in triumph, 
and goes to the temple. There the 
blind and the maimed come to him, 
and he heals them. The people, the 
priests, and the scribes, were drawn 
together ; children even had joined the 
crowd. At the sight of these mira- 
cles, these little creatures could not 
contain their joy, and they cry out in 



SACRED SCENES. 133 

the temple : " Hosanna to the Son of 
David." As the chief priests were 
offended at this, they said to Jesus 
with a feeling of envy : " Do you not 
hear what these children say ?" Je- 
sus answered them: " Yes. Have 
you never read, out of the mouth of 
babes and sucklings thou hast perfect- 
ed praise ?" You see then, my 
friends, it is God himself, who by his 
Holy Spirit taught those little ones to 
glorify his Son. And, what is very 
remarkable, while these children thus 
praise the Saviour, the old men, those 
chief priests, are full of hatred towards 
him. This still teaches us the same 
truth, that has been before referred 
to : for these men, notwithstanding 
their experience and knowledge, were 
wicked, because they had not received 
the Spirit of God. 
12 



134 SACRED SCENES. 

Thus, my friends, do not think that 
you are too young to understand the 
Bible, or to be converted and love 
Jesus, for the Holy Spirit will assist 
even little ones. 



> 



137 



X, 



THE LAST SUPPER. 

My children, if some one could an- 
nounce to you with certainty, the year, 
month, day and hour of your death, 
do you not think the intelligence would 
fill you w T ith fear ? Suppose for ex- 
ample, some one should come, and 
tell you that on the 25th of March, 
1894, at six o'clock in the evening, 
you would die. If you were convinced 
that it would prove true, would not 
your heart be filled with sudden alarm? 
Suppose, again, that some one should 
inform you with certainty, that you 

were to die, not in fifty years, but in 
12* 



138 SACRED SCENES. 

fifty days, what tremblings would seize 
you. Again, if God at this moment 
should send a messenger to say to you: 
" To-morrow at three o'clock in the af- 
ternoon, you will lie upon the bed of 
death," how would you feel ? Oh, it 
seems as though I saw your faces turn 
pale, your minds wandering and your 
hearts failing ; it seems as though I 
heard you weeping, crying, lost, lost, 
unable longer to control your feelings, 
w r ords or actions ; and consuming, in 
grief, agitation, and despair, the few 
hours of life which remained to you. 
Yes, my children, I very well know it 
would be so with you : for such 
feelings are natural. Come, then, 
and admire the conduct of one in sim- 
ilar circumstances, and be convinced 
that he was more than man. 

You see at the centre of that table, 



SACRED SCENES. 139 

Jesus, calmly sitting in the midst of his 
disciples, with a cup in one hand, and 
a piece of bread in the other. Well, 
this Jesus, so tranquil and unmoved, 
knows that he is to die in a few hours. 
He who will deliver him up to death, 
is there with him at the table ; and 
Jesus makes no complaint. Far from 
directing the attention to himself, he 
is occupied with his disciples. He 
forgets the death he is about to suffer, 
in the thought of the distress it will 
cause his friends. Then he gives 
them these counsels. 

"My little children, yet a little 
while I am with you. Ye shall seek 
me ; but whither I go, ye cannot come. 
I will not leave you comfortless : I will 
come unto you. Let not your heart 
be troubled : ye believe in God, believe 
also in me. In my father's house are 



140 SACRED SCENES. 

many mansions : if it were not so, 1 
would have told you. I go to prepare 
a place for you." 

In hearing these words, the apostles, 
whom you see listening to Jesus with 
attention, are overcome with sorrow. 
And doubtless their hearts would be 
affected. But can you believe it ? 
There is one, he whom you see with 
a purse in his hand, who remains un- 
moved. At the very instant when Je- 
sus has received him at his table, and 
given him bread and wine, which he 
has blessed, this very man, this Judas 
has in his mind the determination to 
betray him, to sell his benefactor and 
cause his innocent blood to flow for a 
few pitiful pieces of silver. Oh my 
children, what a horrible passion is 
that of avarice ! Now you are young 
and desire money only for the use of 



SACRED SCENES. 



141 



it ; but the time will come, when you 
too will be desirous of riches; you will, 
perhaps, have wicked thoughts and 
desires. But be watchful. Remem- 
ber that it was gold which made Judas 
conceive the guilty plan, for gold he 
turned a traitor, dissembler and false 
accuser ; and for gold he consented to 
see his master led forth to an ignomin- 
ious death, and to become himself the 
cause of his sufferings. Thus, for gold, 
he deserved and is now suffering ever- 
lasting punishment. See, how for- 
bidding his countenance, and how 
fierce the expression while his hand 
tightly grasps the purse. A thousand 
thoughts agitate his mind. His ava- 
rice urges him on to the crime ; his 
conscience warns him to beware. He 
is impatient to go and seek the Phari- 
sees ; but still he hesitates. He longs, 



142 SACRED SCENES. 

yet fears to commit the crime ; and 
every friendly word that Jesus utters, 
is as fire in his bosom. At length, 
he tears himself from the table, and 
goes in the darkness of night, (ever 
friendly to crime,) to commit the 
dreadful deed. 

The disciple whom you see at the 
right of Jesus, is John, the disciple 
" whom Jesus loved." He is sor- 
rowful at the thought, that one of 
his companions is about to betray 
him, whom he loves so much ; and, 
in his tenderness and simplicity, can- 
not understand how the heart of man 
can conceive such a thought. He 
turns to Jesus and asks him : " Who 
is it Lord V ' Such is a truly good man ; 
incapable of such wickedness him- 
self, he suspects not others. He can- 
not believe possible, that which seems 



SACRED SCENES. 143 

to him so awful ; and without doubt, 
the angels were as much surprised, as 

, grieved, that man should plan and ex- 
ecute such a deed. 

He, whom you notice next to John, 
with his hand raised, makes a sign to 
him that he shall ask the Saviour who 
the traitor shall be ? Neither can he 

J understand, how any heart can foster 
such a desire : for in a little while he 

7 says : "I will lay down my life for 
thy sake. I will go with thee, to 
prison and to death." But this apos- 

. tie, it was Peter, soon learns that he 
cannot trust his own strength. Can 
you believe, my children, that this 
Peter, who has just sworn to follow 
his master to prison and to death, in 

i one short hour will be so weak and 
feeble as to deny the Saviour ? That 

ihe will say of him, who supported him 



144 SACRED SCENES. 

on the water : " I know him not ?" 
That he will blaspheme the Son of 
God, who now promises him life eter- 
nal, and prays the Father for him ? 
Yet, my friends, he, who does all this, 
is this same Peter. If then, even this 
apostle fell into such sin, flatter not 
yourselves that you shall remain inno- 
cent. Rather distrust your own 
strength, and fly from temptation. 
When you feel disposed to boast, and 
say, "I shall never do such wicked- 
ness,'' say to yourself immediately, 
" Peter betrayed his master ; I shall 
never prove a base coward ; by cow- 
ardice Peter betrayed his master : I 
shall never be afraid of death; through 
fear of death Peter was led to betray 
his master. But if you wish not to 
fall into sin, do these two things : dis- 
trust your own strength ; and pray to 
God to keep you. 



SACRED SCENES. 145 

In the picture before you, I must 
not omit to say something of the urn, 
the bowl and the cloth, which you see 
upon the ground at the foot of the 
table. In ancient time, the Jews had 
the custom of always washing the 
hands and face, and, if they had been 
traveling, the feet also, before taking 
their meals. Sometimes the domestics 
performed this office for guests, who 
were wearied and dusty, from their 
journey. Doubtless this was the con- 
dition of Jesus and his apostles, com- 
ing, as they had, from Bethany to 
Jerusalem, to eat the Passover ; and 
the master of the house, desirous of 
receiving them hospitably, furnished 
water and towels for the convenience 
of his guests. Their feet were washed 
in the basin, which you see, and wiped, 
one after the other, with the towel, 
13 



146 SACRED SCENES. 

which lies upon the ground. But do 
you know who has washed their feet ? 
Do you know who has performed this 
menial office ? It is Jesus Christ, the 
Son of God. The Son of God has 
washed the feet of twelve poor, miser- 
able creatures. This, doubtless, as- 
tonishes you. St. Peter was astonished 
also ; so astonished, that when Jesus 
came to him in turn, he would not 
suffer him, but confused at the idea, 
that the hand of his Lord should touch 
his feet, he cried out: "Lord, thou 
shalt never wash my feet." Why 
then, does Jesus persist in performing 
so humiliating an office ? He himself 
tells you : 

" So after he had washed their feet, 
and had taken his garments, and sat 
down again, he said unto them, Know 
ye what I have done unto you ? Ye 



SACRED SCENES. 147 

call me master, and Lord : and ye say 
well ; for so I am. If I then, your 
Lord and master, have washed your 
feet ; ye also ought to wash one an- 
other's feet. For I have given you an 
• example, that ye should do as I have 
done unto you. Verily, verily, I say 
unto you, the servant is not greater 

■ than his lord ; neither he that is sent 
greater than he that sends him. If ye 
know T these things, happy are ye if ye 
do them." 

But I have as yet said nothing of the 
most memorable circumstance of the 
paschal supper. Do you see what an 
expression of astonishment is visible 
upon the countenances of the apostles? 
One on the right, raises himself on his 
hands, and seems as though he wished 
to ask some question of one opposite. 
His attention is attracted and he inter- 



148 SACRED SCENES. 

prets the look ; while the third on the 
left seems stupified, and remains stand- 
ing immovable. What has taken 
place ? Jesus simply presented a cup 
to his apostles, and said to to them, 
" Drink ye all of it." Is there any 
thing wonderful in that ? He distrib- 
uted to them the bread, which you see 
in his hand. Is there any thing strange 
in that simple action ? Nothing, 
doubtless. But when Jesus offers them 
the bread and wine he says to them : 
" This is my blood, which is shed, and 
my body, which is broken for you :" 
This is what so deeply afflicts the 
apostles. Jesus announces to them his 
death, and declares the time of it, just 
at hand : for he adds, that he shall not 
again drink of the fruit of the vine with 
them. What sadness must this have 
spread over the group. To learn that 



SACRED SCENES. 149 

he, whom they most loved, their mas- 
ter, their Saviour, who was then seated 
by their side, is about to die. But 
that which gives the keenest anguish 
to the hearts of the apostles is, to learn 
that he lays down his life for them ; 
that it is their sins which render this 
j sacrifice necessary. They can say 
with truth, Every time I have sinned, 
I have prepared the punishment of Je- 
sus, I have shed his blood and broken 
his body ; and, if now Jesus leaves this 
table and goes out to die, it is because 
I have wished it, and thus I am become 
one of his murderers. 

But it is not the apostles merely, 
who ought to think thus : for all, like 
them, have sinned. It is I, it is you, 
my children ; for Jesus, in presenting 
the cup, said : " My blood is shed for 
jnany for the remission of sins." You 
13* 



150 SACRED SCENES. 

then may feel, my friends, that your 
sins have made the death of Jesus ne- 
cessary ; and you, too, should weep 
bitterly. How great must such guilt 
appear in the sight of God ; and how 
ought you to hate the sin which caused 
such a being to suffer so much. But 
read now what follows, and if you are 
sorrowing with the disciples, with them 
you shall be consoled : for Jesus adds, 
' c Because I have said these things un- 
to you, sorrow hath filled your heart. 
Nevertheless I tell you the truth : It 
is expedient for you that I go away : 
for if I go not away the comforter will 
not come unto you ; but if I depart I 
will send him unto you. A little 
while, and ye shall not see me, be- 
cause I go to the Father. And ye 
now therefore have sorrow ; but I will 
see you again, and your heart shall 






SACRED SCENES. 



151 



rejoice, and your joy no man taketh 
from you. These things I have spoken 
unto you, that in me ye might have 
peace. In the world ye shall have 
tribulation : but be of good cheer ; I 
have overcome the world." 

When Jesus had spoken these 
things, he left the table, and went 
with the disciples towards the Garden 
of Olives. It was evening, and this 
time was chosen by Judas, to do the 
work of the prince of darkness. But 
this will form the subject of the follow- 
ing scene, 



152 



XL 



JUDAS BETRAYS JESUS WITH A KISS. 

On the same evening that Jesus held 
his last memorable discourse with his 
disciples, Judas went to seek the 
Pharisees, that he might complete his 
infamy, by selling his Master. Thus 
when Jesus left the " upper chamber, " 
where he had eaten the Passover, Ju- 
das went out from the Sanhedrim, 
where the work of treason had been 
finished. Jesus was accompanied by 
his apostles, Judas was followed by 
soldiers armed with swords and spears. 
Both parties resorted to the same 
place, the garden of Gethsemane upon 



SACRED SCENES. 155 

the Mount of Olives ; Jesus, that he 
might do the will of God ; Judas, to 
perform the work of Satan. Having 
arrived there, Jesus enjoins his disci- 
ples to watch and pray, that they may 
not fall into temptation ; Judas comes 
and seeks him, whom he would deliver 
up. Thus Jesus and Judas approach ; 
they meet ; and Judas, throwing 
himself into the arms of his Master, 
gives him the kiss of treason. He 
embraces him, and thus points him out 
to his murderers. The hypocrite ! 
He kisses him, whom he wishes to 
drag to judgment, to prison and to 
death. Behold ! One of the soldiers, 
accustomed as he is to the habit and 
sight of crime, falls upon his knees 
before Jesus, who says to him : " I am 
he whom you seek ; " and yet, Judas 
hardened, past all feeling of fear or 



156 SACRED SCENES. 

sorrow, carries out his guilty plan. 
A voice still whispers to him, that he 
is about to commit a most base and 
unheard of crime ; but the love of 
gold stifles the last warning of con- 
science. The struggle in his soul is 
shown, even by his embrace. He 
rather throws himself upon the shoul- 
der of Jesus, then imprints a kiss on 
his cheek. He dares not look at his 
Master. He wishes to hide, from his 
fellow apostles, his guilty countenance. 
He thus endeavors to conceal from all 
his features ; when Jesus, raising him, 
says to him with mildness : " Judas, 
betrayest thou the Son of Man with a 
kiss!" 

Oh my children, what a dreadful 
crime is that of hypocrisy. It is the 
sister of imposture, dissimulation and 
all deceit. The Saviour calls it the 



S4CRED SCENES. 157 

father of lying, Jesus was merciful 
towards all sinners. Even to thieves, 
publicans and harlots, he offers par- 
don, and says : " Come unto me, all 
ye that are weary and heavy laden, and 
I will give you rest." But for hypo- 
crites he has no compassion, no pardon. 
For them he has only condemnation. 
I " Woe unto you," said Jesus, " Woe 
unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, 
| hypocrites, for ye are as graves, which 
, appear not, and the men which walk 
over them are not aware of them. 
Woe unto you Pharisees ! for ye 
tithe mint and rue, and all manner of 
herbs, and pass over judgment and the 
love of God ; woe unto you ! for ye 
devour widow's houses and for a pre- 
tence make long prayers." 

Do you know why Jesus pronounces 
such woes upon hypocrites, when all 
14 



158 SACRED SCENES. 

other sinners are regarded with pity ? 
It is because there is no hope of salva- 
tion for them. They are already con- 
demned in this world. Like Judas, 
they carry about Satan in their hearts. 
Jesus cannot say to them, become 
converted, because they feign to have 
been converted already : neither can 
he say to them, love God and your 
neighbor, because they profess already 
to have this love ; and thus whatever 
counsel is given them, they profess al- 
ready to have followed it. If you 
entreat them to believe, their lips 
reply : I do believe, while faithless- 
ness is in their hearts. If you counsel 
them to pray, their hands are immedi- 
ately joined, and yet, scoffs are in 
their souls. For these hypocrites 
there is no hope, because they say, 
Amen, to every thing, while opposi- 



SACRED SCENES. 159 

tion reigns in the heart. They will 
never be sincere, because they make 
. a business of feigning sincerity. Hypo- 
crites, my children, end by deceiving 
themselves, and, secure in their web 
of deceit, they will not repent. Oh, 
fi I entreat you, my friends, do not take 
q the path which leads to hypocrisy. 
; There are many ; exaggeration, flat- 
| tery, false professions of courtesy, 
dissimulation, lying. Abhor, fly from 
. and put far away, all deceit. False- 
y hood is the seal by which Satan marks 
i here, those souls which are his, that 
. he may know and seize upon them 
hereafter. It is as the hot, burning 
| iron, the sign of infamy, impressed 
U upon the shoulder of the galley-slave, 
| which can never be effaced in life. 
Falsehood is Judas, it is Satan, it is 
| hell. Woe, woe to you, liars and 



160 SACRED SCENES. 

hypocrites ! It had been better for 
you, if you had never been born. 
Better for you if a stone were hanged 
about your neck, and you cast into the 
sea. Woe to you ! brothers of Judas, 
children of Satan, heirs of hell. 

At this sign from Judas, confirmed 
by the words of the Saviour, the 
soldiers and Jews approach and bind 
Jesus. See, how numerous they are. 
One would have been sufficient ; but 
here is an army. Why this multitude ? 
Why these arms ? Why do they 
come in the night ? It is because 
they feel that there is crime in the 
deed, they are about to do. They 
come in the shadows of night, because 
they feared that the people, who had 
been fed, taught and healed by Jesus, 
would not permit them to take, by 
force, one who had always done them 



SACRED SCENES. 161 

good. They come in great numbers 
that they may embolden one another 

I in guilt. A crime which one would 

j not dare commit alone, he will do 
boldly when countenanced by accom- 
plices. Their example seems to sanc- 

[ tion, and their presence to ease the 
weight of the sin. They come 
armed, because they are afraid. 
Trembling in their souls, they wish to 
re-assure themselves by the sight of 
their arms. If these Jews had come 

j to arrest a man, really guilty, they 
would not have feared the light of 
day ; they would have summoned him 
to the bar by the power of the law, 
without the sword, or spear. All 
this array testifies against themselves ; 

} and proves still more the innocence of 
Jesus. The more a guilty person at- 
tempts to justify himself, the more he 
14* 



162 SACRED SCENES. 

reveals his guilt ; the louder his pro- 
testations of innocence, the stronger 
the evidence of crime. The innocent 
person is calm. He speaks the simple 
truth. He hopes nothing from strong 
language ; but expects every thing 
from the justice of his cause. 

Judge, my young friends, by that 
which you have yourselves experi- 
enced. If, in the absence of your 
parents, something wrong has been 
done, and they inquire at their return, 
Who has done this ? if you are inno- 
cent, you reply calmly, I do not know. 
If, on the contrary, you have been at 
fault, the fear of merited punishment 
urges you to make earnest protesta- 
tions, that it was not you, or that the 
mischief, somehow, did itself. If they 
insist in their inquiries, alas ! perhaps, 
you are still louder in your assertions ; 



SACRED SCENES. 163 

and it is precisely this, which leads to 
your being suspected. 

The officers, the soldiers, the priests 
and Pharisees advance — then a great 
crowd, armed and furious, to seize 
Jesus, who, always devoted, said to 
them : " I am he, whom ye seek ;" 
and pointing to his disciples, he adds, 
" Let these go their way." Jesus 
could, had he wished it, have called 
his apostles to his aid, or prayed the 
Father, who would have sent legions 
of angels to defend him, or shield him 
from death, by withdrawing him from 
the infuriated crowd. But no, he 
calmly goes forward to meet danger, 
that he may save his friends. But 
where are those friends during this 
scene of trial ? They draw back ; they 
shrink from meeting the attack. They 
are afraid — you perceive but a few of 



164 SACRED SCENES. 

them — the others have already taken 
flight, and these will soon follow them. 
It is true that one of them is reclining 
by the side of the mountain, but he is 
there asleep ; while his master had 
counseled him to watch and pray, 
that he might avoid temptation. He 
loves his slumbers better, thinking, 
that he shall have time enough for 
prayer on the morrow, and that 
temptation is nothing very alarming. 
But the event proved the contrary, for 
while he is still sleeping, the soldiers 
arrive in tumult. Then their shouts 
resounding through the garden, their 
spears glistening in the light of their 
torches, their hurried steps towards 
the spot, where lay this slothful disci- 
ple, awaken him, and he starts up 
alarmed. He did not wish to pray, as 
Jesus had counseled him, and now he 



SACRED SCENES. 165 

is without support in the face of dan- 
ger. He yields to temptation, and, 
like the others, he abandons his mas- 
ter to the rude hands of the soldiers 
and Pharisees. And have you, my 
friends, never been like these apos- 
tles ? Do you never close your eyes 
in sleep, forgetting to pray ? Do you 
not sometimes think, at night, that 
you have no danger to fear, and that 
it is useless to kneel down before you 
lay your head upon your pillow ? Do 
you not say sometimes : I will pray to- 
morrow ? and, in the morning, do you 
put off the duty until evening ? Does 
it not seem to you that temptation, 
which is not seen, is little to be 
dreaded, and that it will be easy to 
withstand it, when it comes ? And in 
this sad resemblance between yourself 
and the apostle, does it not sometimes 



166 SACRED SCENES. 

happen that, after neglecting prayer, 
you fall into sin which you had not 
foreseen, and which seemed to you im- 
possible ? Doubtless this has been 
your experience, for it has been mine. 
It was that of the apostles. It is that 
of all persons, who trust too much in 
themselves, and who do not rely clear- 
ly upon the efficacy of prayer. 

And observe, what Jesus did be- 
fore the arrival of Judas. While his 
apostles slept, he was in prayer. At 
the thought of the sufferings and death, 
which awaited him, a bloody sweat 
broke out over his body, and he cried 
out, " My Father, if it be possible let 
this cup pass from me : nevertheless, 
not my will, but thine be done." Af- 
ter he had thus prayed, he exhorts his 
disciples, and makes the same petition 
a second and a third time. If Jesus felt 



SACRED SCENES. 167 

the need of prayer, how much more 
should you, my children, feel this 
need of its support ? And if he fear- 
ed his own weakness, how can you 
hope to be strong ? Pray then, pray 
continually, for yourselves, your pa- 
rents, your brothers and sisters. Ask 
God to make it easy, and pleasant for 
you to do right : for if God makes you 
good, it will be more for your happi- 
ness, than if he gave you all earthly 
( pleasures, and left you with sin in your 
hearts. The most unhappy being is the 
most sinful, as the most blessed being 
is the most holy. Who is more miser- 
able and wicked than Satan ? Or, 
who is more happy and pure than 
God ? If then, you wish to taste the 
blessedness of God, first pray to him, 
that he will impart to you holiness, 
which alone can lead to Heaven. 



168 SACRED SCENES. 

As I have told you, the apostles 
forsook Jesus, and fled. Judas, tor- 
mented by pangs of remorse, confessed 
that he had betrayed an innocent per- 
son, and threw down the thirty pieces 
of silver in the temple, and went out, 
and hanged himself in despair. The 
soldiers hurried Jesus away. John 
and Peter followed him at a distance ; 
and the Garden of Gethsemane was 
once more left to silence and darkness. 



15 



171 



XII. 



JESUS BROUGHT BEFORE PILATE. 

Look, my children, at the animated 
scene here represented, and observe 
the various passions which agitate the 
crowd, around the tribunal of Pilate. 

The Jews, after examining Jesus 
before the Sanhedrim, bring him again 
ko Pilate, to be condemned. Yes, to 
be condemned, and not to be judged ; 
for the sentence of death had long 
since been passed in the hearts of the 
Pharisees. Pilate, whom you see 
standing before his tribunal, asks him 
'several questions ; but, finding him 
guilty of no crime, wishes to release 



172 SACRED SCENES. 

him. He sends him to Herod, who, 
seeing Jesus silent before him, despises 
him, whom they call king ; and, in 
mockery, puts upon him a robe of pur- 
ple. The soldiers, in derision, com- 
plete the royal costume by placing a 
crown of thorns upon his head, and a 
reed, for a sceptre, in his hand. Then 
they drag him before Pilate ; and now 
commences the scene, which you have 
before you. The priests and Pharisees 
in the front of the picture, are there 
to accuse him ; and the people, placed 
behind the tribunal, come as spec- 
tators of the scene. Such are the per- 
sons before you. Now listen to their 
words, mark their movements, and 
study their passions. 

I bring him before you, says Pilate, 
that you may know that I find no fault 
in him. Pilate knew that Jesus was 



SACRED SCENES. 173 

accused by the Jews, of stirring up the 
people to revolt that he might make 
f himself king. At this moment, his 
■ eye falls upon the pretended rebel. 
He sees him with his arms submissive- 
ly hanging by his side, his head cast 
^down, his lips mute, his brow crowned 
with thorns. He cannot recognize in 
-this demeanor, so mild, so humble, 
,a turbulent leader of a faction ; and, 
.as he was struck with the contrast of 
,this humiliating position, to the ambi- 
tious designs of which he was accused, 
.he said to the bystanders, " Behold 
the man." That is to say, Look at 
him, whom you accuse of wishing to 
overthrow Caesar, and usurp his throne ! 
See what humility in his demeanor. 
Look at him, who, you say, excites a 
revolt, listen, he will not offer a word 
in justification! Is this feeble crea- 
15* 



174 SACRED SCENES. 

ture, then, so much to be feared? Is 
this the man, who is so terrible — a 
conspirator, and chief of a faction? 
Look at his bleeding head — his down- 
cast eyes — his deep abasement. Look 
at him, whom you accuse of rebellion. 
" Behold the man." 

But the chief priests did not wish to 
hear any thing. These words of Pi- 
late irritated them. What they de- 
sired was the death of Jesus. Hear 
them with rage demanding : "Crucify 
him! crucify him!" "He has done no 
evil," replies Pilate. "No matter," 
is the response, " Crucify him ! cruci- 
fy him!" 

Every year at this festival, replies 
Pilate, I grant you, as a favor, the re- 
lease of one of the prisoners. If you 
wish, I will pardon Jesus, and let him 
go? No, no, Crucify him ! crucify 



SACRED SCENES. 175 

him ! Release not this man, but Bar- 
abbas. Now Barabbas was a robber; 
but they preferred him to the innocent 
i Jesus. Pilate, not daring any longer 
I to resist the will of the enraged Jews, 
i wished at least to show, by a certain 
ceremony, that his judgment was in 
favor of him he condemned, and, caus- 
ing water to be brought, he washed 
-his hands before them, and said, " I 
lam innocent of the blood of this just 
/person : see ye to it." Yes, yes, vo- 
ciferate the priests of the God of 
'peace : " His blood be on us, and our 
children," and at the same time that 
infuriated crowd, changed from men 
to ferocious beasts, utter imprecations 
and horrid shouts. Look : one of 
them, by his violent movements, has 
made a false step and fallen ; but, 
half rising, he brandishes his clenched 



176 SACRED SCENES. 

fist before the object of his hate. By 
his side a priest advances, his arms 
uplifted as though he would do vio- 
lence to Pilate, and compel him to 
pronounce the sentence of death. 
His lips are still parted, and he cries 
out to the governor to intimidate him : 
" If you let this man go, you are not 
Caesar's friend. " Behind him another 
priest, raises his hand, in sign of as- 
sent while the other seems rigid with 
anger. See the malice depicted upon 
his countenance, in those compressed 
lips, that eye of fire, and look of hate. 
There is another man with both hands j 
upraised, as if with eagerness he de- 
manded the death of Jesus. Look ail! 
his countenance, eaten up with envy 
and hate. Oh, my children, what a 
dreadful thing is anger, it makes man 
a brute : for it deprives him of reason.] 1 
Perhaps now, that you are calm, it 



SACRED SCENES. 177 

seems to you, that men must be mad 
1 to behave thus. No, my children, it 
c is enough to be angry. From the mo- 
ment we yield to passion, we have ev- 
{ ery thing to fear. In a rage we may 
speak injuriously of our best friends, 
we may insult our parents, and, alas, 
we may curse and blaspheme the 
very name of God. Yes, my friends, 
'anger is the fruitful source of crime. 
It inspires wicked thoughts. It dic- 
tates bad language. It raises the hand 
against a brother, and imbrues it in 
his blood. Jesus also has said, that 
he, who is angry with his brother with- 
out cause, shall be in danger of the 
■judgment. 

Look upon the other side of Jesus, 
who stands clothed with the mock em- 
blems of royalty, and you will see 
there the soldiers, who have brought 
him from Herod to Pilate. They bear 



178 SACRED SCENES. 

no feelings of hatred towards him, for 
he has never done them harm; but 
they mock him, because they see him 
feeble and defenceless. One, in deri- 
sion kneeling behind, bears the train 
of his robe ; another raising his hand 
and head, seems to say in taunt, Long 
live this powerful king of the Jews ; a 
third armed with a spear, mimics the 
guard of honor. But a fourth soldier, 
who seems as though he would pre- 
vent this mockery, is animated by a 
very different feeling. He is indig- 
nant at seeing his companions thus mock 
one, so feeble and unhappy ; and he 
admires the noble calmness of Jesus, 
amid all these insults. He feels that 
it is base thus to treat one, who can- 
not complain ; and whose lofty soul 
endures every indignity in silence. 
Recollect, my young friends, how 
painful it has been for you, when by 



SACRED SCENES. 179 

some awkardness you have incurred 
the ridicule of your companions. Did 
you not think them unkind and wick- 
ied, thus to treat you? and were you 
^not angry? Ah well, in your turn, 
,do you never join in ridiculing others? 
^And might not they say of you, with 
; truth, that you were unjust, unfeeling, 
and similar to those vile soldiers, that 
^mocked the Son of God, who, in his 
^humiliation had taken upon him a hu- 
man form? 

i But how does it happen that this 
•people, who but a few days before, 
went out in triumph to meet Jesus, ex- 
tolled his miracles, called him the Son 
of David, and wished to crown him 
king of Israel, how does it happen, 
that this very people should be now, 
in the outer gallery, enraged and fu- 
riously demanding the death of Jesus, 
whom but yesterday they admired? 



180 SACRED SCENES. 

Alas ! my children, it is only because 
they have listened to the counsels 
of the chief priests, who have excited 
them to demand from Pilate the death 
of Jesus. They are flattered at being 
of so much consequence in the sight of 
the great ones of the nation ; and they 
are thus led on to aid their malicious 
schemes. Because these members of 
the Sanhedrim are powerful, the peo- 
ple imagine that their counsels must 
necessarily be just. Because these 
doctors are learned, they trust that 
their science can change a bad into a 
good action ; that the sanction of the 
priests will purify the deed from guilt. 
And, though their consciences revolt 
from the act, they listen to priests, 
doctors and rulers. 

My children, sin is always sin ; and 
whoever may counsel you to commit 



SACRED SCENES. 181 

it, you ought always to put it far away. 
Sometimes companions, older than you, 
will say: "Do this, or that — come 
with me here, or there ;" while, from 
the recesses of your spirits, something 
whispers : " It is wrong — do it not — 
go not there ;" yet you say, He is old- 
er than I am ; and knows better what 
is right to do. No my children, 
" rather listen to the voice of conscience, 
- hearken as soon as she says : Go not 
I* there. You ought to refuse to follow 
f wicked counsels, whether they come 
from an old man, a learned man, or a 
king ; because a being still greater 
has commanded you. God himself 
speaks, by your conscience, and warns 
you ; woe to you, if you do this. 
Think then, whether it is not better 
to obey God than man ? 
16 



182 



XIII. 



JESUS UPON THE CROSS. 

Recall to your minds now, my 
friends, this Jesus, whom you have seen 
successively, adored by the shepherds, 
blessed by the sick, whom he has mi- 
raculously healed, conducted in tri- 
umph to Jerusalem, and exalted in the 
temple as the Son of God. Come now, 
and view this same Jesus, so good, so 
powerful, so glorious, shamefully cru- 
cified between two thieves. 

After they had extorted from Pilate 
a sentence of death, the Jews press 
around their victim, who can no longer 
escape from them. They lade his 



SACRED SCENES. 185 

shoulders with a heavy cross, and 
when he falters from fatigue, they 
hasten his steps by their spears, to- 
wards the altar of Golgotha. The tide 
of a fickle populace, now exulting, 
press upon the steps of the insulted 
Jesus. Each wishes to see him hu- 
miliated, whom he has seen triumph- 
ant ; and cries " Crucify him, crucify 
him," when but yesterday, he had 
shouted, " Hosanna ! " 

Having reached the top of the 
Mount, these men, covetous as well as 
cruel, divide the garments of the suf- 
ferer. They lay the cross upon the 
ground, and extend the Saviour upon 
it. With nails in one hand, a hammer 
in the other, they fasten to the tree his 
palpitating flesh, and in triumph lift 
up, and plant in the earth this bloody 
trophy of their victory. Then like 
16* 



186 



SACRED SCENES. 



savages, who dance and shout around 
the victim they wish to devour, the 
Jews surrounded the instrument of 
torture. Some mock him, others re- 
proach him, and all at the sight of his 
agony, shout in scornful derision. 
Jesus asks for drink ; they give him 
gall ! Jesus prays his Father for 
them ; they divide his garments. Jesus 
expires supplicating God to pardon 
them ; they pierce his side with a 
spear. In order to cover him with 
shame, they place him between two 
thieves, and add bitter irony to their 
cruelty, and say : " Let us see now if 
Elias, the prophet, will come and save 
him." 

Why did Jesus, the Son of God, 
endure all these insults and this suf- 
fering ? If he died only to rise again, 
he might have laid down his life with- 



SACRED SCENES. 187 

out all these bitter sufferings. If he 
wished to present an example of de- 
votedness, or of resignation, a death 
free from shame, would have sufficed. 
And lastly, if Jesus only desired to 
prove his divine mission, were not his 
miracles enough ? Why then all that 
anguish, why the crown of thorns, the 
bloody scourge, the cross and the 
spear 1 Why all that ignominy, from 
the spitting of the slave, the jeers of 
the populace, to the irony of the chief 
priests and the place between two 
thieves 1 Why all this ? Can you 
tell, my children ? Behold ! it was 
to atone for the sins of men. Sin is so 
hateful in the sight of God, that noth- 
ing in the world could efface it ; nei- 
ther repentance, tears, nor human 
virtues. Nothing less than the cruel, 
infamous death, of the Son of God. 



188 SACRED SCENES. 

But whose sins, my children? Yours ! 
your own sins. In as far as Jesus has 
suffered, it is you who have caused it. 
If the nails pierced his limbs, it was 
your hands that drove them there. It 
is you, who rendered necessary the 
anguish in Gethsemane, the sighs be- 
fore the Sanhedrim, the blood upon 
Golgotha. It is you, it is I — all of us, 
who have crucified Jesus Christ. 

Now, my children, come and mingle 
in your thoughts, with this crowd at 
the foot of the cross, at the moment 
when a Roman soldier pierces the side 
of the expiring Jesus, and judge with 
whom you can sympathize. Perhaps 
you will there find some comfort for 
your hearts, filled with sorrow, as you 
remember the anguish you have caused 
your best friend. 

Jesus is dead. The soldiers finish 



SACRED SCENES. 189 

their work. One pierces him with his 
lance ; another brings a ladder, to take 
his body from the cross ; a third seats 
himself, and the rest return as from a 
triumph. The Scribes and Pharisees 
whom you see behind the cross, re- 
main there unmoved. They wish to 
assure themselves that Jesus is really 
dead, that they may return to their 
homes, secure and satisfied. But look 
again, see that person approaching the 
cross, his eyes and hands raised to the 
Saviour, as if in prayer. Near the 
rock, and by the first cross, noticfe that 
woman, bowed down with grief and 
despair, and that other daughter of 
Jerusalem, in a more open place, strik- 
ing upon her breast. The death of 
Jesus has produced two very different 
effects. By it, some have been hard- 
ened in their wickedness, and others 



190 SACRED SCENES. 

brought to repentance. On their part, 
the Pharisees and priests say, Let us 
bury him, and seal a stone at the door 
of the sepulchre, and set a guard ; 
while others, as those women and the 
centurion, weep and lament saying : 
" Truly this was the Son of God." 
These different effects produce two 
opposite results. Those who repented 
were pardoned ; while those who re- 
mained hardened, are under condem- 
nation. Observe then, that the Phar- 
isees and priests, by their hardness of 
heart, as well as those females and the 
centurion by their penitence, prove 
their guilt. The only trait which dis- 
tinguishes them is, that while the one 
part acknowledge their sins, and are 
saved, the other deny it, and are lost. 
The death of Jesus cannot save those, 
who do not wish to be saved by him. 



SACRED SCENES. 191 

It only purifies those who receive him 
into their hearts with penitence and 
love. But attend now to the history 
of those two robbers, and you will bet- 
ter understand my meaning. 

Those two men, whom you see, one 
upon the right and the other upon the 
left of Jesus, have both led a criminal 
life. They are then justly condemned 
to die. But after sentence has been 
pronounced upon them, there is this 
great difference between them. The 
one upon the left persists in his hard- 
ness of heart. He mocks Jesus and 
says : " If thou be Christ, save thyself 
and us." But the other reproves his 
companion, and confesses his sins : 
" Dost thou not fear God, seeing thou 
art in the same condemnation ? And 
we indeed justly ; for we receive the 
due reward of our deeds : but this man 



192 SACRED SCENES. 

has done nothing amiss ;" and address- 
ing Jesus, he added ; " Lord remem- 
ber me when thou comest into thy 
kingdom. " Behold these two men, 
equally guilty. One of them will not 
repent and believe ; the other repents 
and believes. Ah ! now what does 
Jesus in respect to them ? He leaves 
the unbeliever to die in his sins, but 
says to the other ; " To-day shalt 
thou be with me in Paradise.' ' 

My children, I need not ask if you 
are of the number who believe on Je- 
sus. Surely you would reply : Yes. 
But although you say so, it does not 
prove it true. You may deceive your- 
selves about yourselves. See now, 
how I should know whether you really 
believe and repent. It is by this mark: 
If you love Jesus, your Saviour, you 
will do his will. When I shall see 



SACRED SCENES. 193 

your conduct changed, a love for 
prayer, and humility, and love in your 
hearts, I shall feel : It is because they 
love Jesus Christ. 

Oh, my children, love this Jesus. 
How ought you to love him, who has 
loved you so much ! Who thought of 
you before you were born — who at 
this moment prays the Father to give 
you a place in his Paradise ? If you 
do net love him, you are the most un- 
grateful of beings. You know well, 
that by remaining in sin you will grieve 
anew your best friend ; that you will 
nail him again to the cross. If you 
are not touched by this love of the 
Saviour, your parents might well des- 
pair of affecting you by their love : for 
if they have sustained you a few years, 
Jesus has purchased for you eternal 
life ; if they have procured you some 
17 



194 SACRED SCENES. 

earthly pleasures, Jesus has opened to 
you all the joys of Heaven. They are 
only your parents, he is your Saviour 
and their Saviour. Oh ! then, love 
him, love with all your heart and soul, 
him, who so loved you, as to die for 
you, upon the cross of Golgotha. 



197 



XIV. 



MARY IN THE GARDEN. 

For three days the body of Jesus 
remained in a sepulchre, hewn in a 
rock, closed by a great stone, and 
guarded by Roman soldiers. The 
apostles mourned the death of their 
master, and the holy women, who had 
followed him in his labors and toils, 
wished for the last sad consolation of 
embalming his mortal remains. Mary 
Magdalene, her heart overcome with 
grief, came to the sepulchre early on 
the first day of the week. She left home 
before the dawn, and walked with sad 
and pensive steps. At that hour the 
17* 



198 SACRED SCENES. 

streets of Jerusalem were deserted, 
the road to Golgotha, which wound 
through the fields, was solitary ; the 
laborer had not commenced his toil ; 
the flocks reposed in the stable ; the 
bird slept in its nest, with its head 
under its wing. The shadows of night 
still enveloped all nature. Hardly 
could Mary distinguish the objects be- 
fore her steps. Every thing is sadly 
quiet and mournful, and seems to 
speak of death to her, who goes to 
weep at a tomb. The nearer she ap- 
proaches, the more sad she becomes. 
The tears are already in her eyes. 
Hardly has she strength to reach the 
sepulchre. She enters the garden 
where the Friday before, she had seen 
the livid, broken body of her Saviour 
laid. Then a sorrowful picture is 
brought to her remembrance. She 



SACRED SCENES. 199 

seems to behold that dear head, cover- 
ed with the paleness of death, and in- 
clined upon the bloody wound in his 
breast ; his feet, his hands pierced, 
his members rigid, taking whatever 
position one might give them, and re- 
maining motionless. Then the eyes 
of Mary turn towards the tomb, 
where she had seen the body of Jesus 
laid. She wishes for one last look. 
She approaches, and — Oh ! how 
strange ! The body has disappeared ! 
She turns, and Jesus, alive, appears 
before her ! She is so far from ex- 
pecting this new miracle, that she 
does not recognize the Saviour. Then 
Jesus, by a word, opens the eyes of 
her understanding " Mary !" — " My 
master!" cries Mary, joyfully, when, 
quickly turning, she sees him, full of 
health, w T hose lifeless body she had be- 
held placed in the tomb. 



200 SACRED SCENES. 

What happiness filled her bosom, at 
thus finding the adored being whom 
she had lost — to see him full of life 
and animation, who in the evening 
was dead, without motion, speechless 
— to find him, no more to lose him — 
to know that death had no more any 
power over him — that for him, the 
tomb was forever closed — that eternal 
life had sprung up — to take his hand — 
to look at him, and see his eyes lighten 
with immortal lustre — to speak to him 
and have him smile on her — to know 
that he will live forever ! forever and 
ever ! Oh, my children, this thought 
alone is enough to bathe our souls in 
joys, and if you are not made happy 
by it, it is because you do not realize 
it vividly. Now, my little bereaved 
family, listen to me attentively. 



SACRED SCENES. 201 

You know, that you and myself, 
have lost our dearest earthly friend ; 
you know that the lifeless body rests 
far from here, in a coffin under its 
mournful stone. You remember that 
we have more than once visited it, 
and that always the earth and the 
stone remains cold, unmoved ; only at 
each visit, a little more grass covers 
the place now so dear. Suppose now, 
that to-morrow we should again visit 
that spot. We arrive with our hearts 
full of sad remembrances. Before en- 
tering, we see already in imagination, 
the mournful cj^press always the same, 
the inscription, the date, the name 
graven upon the tomb. We have 
only a step to take, before these ob- 
jects will all be before our eyes. We 
draw near. Look ! no longer the 
withered grass, the unbroken earth, 



202 SACRED SCENES. 

the hard, cold stone ! Every thing 
has been changed. The tomb is open ! 
You turn, and you behold, full of 
health, your mother, who calls to you, 
" My children, my children. " Con- 
ceive, now, the happiness of Mary. 
Conceive of her happiness in finding 
what she had lost, by your joy. Ah, 
well ! this joy will be yours. One 
day, this supposition will be a reality. 
You will find again that loving heart 
which you have lost, living forever, 
loving forever, happy through eterni- 
ty. Yes, Jesus rose from the dead to 
shew us that we shall be restored to 
life. He has gone up to heaven, 
where we shall mount to meet him. 
He has returned to his Father, and 
you also, my children, will go to that 
heavenly Father to find there your 
sainted mother. 



SACRED SCENES. 203 

But, my friends, observe carefully 
what I now say. Though all men 
wilt be raised from the dead, all will 
not enter heaven. There is a resur- 
rection, worse than death and the 
grave ; a resurrection followed by 
weeping and gnashing of teeth. Both 
these lives are equal in duration. For- 
ever shall we love and be happy in 
heaven ; or forever shall we hate and 
suffer in hell. Think of this. This 
truth so joyful for some, is terrible for 
others. Inquire seriously how it is 
with you. 

Is your conduct right, or wrong ? I 
am often obliged to reprove you, and 
probably many of your faults escape 
my eye. How would it be, if all were 
known to me ? This is not all. I 
cannot search your hearts, or know 
all the wicked thoughts, which are 



204 SACRED SCENES. 

there, the sinful plans that are not put 
in execution. And even your obe- 
dience, is it always rendered cheerful- 
ly 1 Is it not sometimes through tear, 
and with murmurings ? All that 
passes within I do not see, or know ; 
but God sees and knows it ; and he it 
is, who will judge you one day, and 
more severely than I can do ; for he 
knows you better. Now let your con- 
science answer these questions. Are 
you good or sinful ? And will you 
rise to eternal happiness, or sink to 
eternal misery ? You see, my chil- 
dren, that I do not decide. I simply 
make these inquiries ; and already 
your eyes are cast down. Do not 
your consciences reply : I am sinful, 
and misery awaits me ? 

Ah, my children, if tears flow now 
from penitent hearts, you may be com- 



SAGBBB SCENES- 205 

forted ; for Jesus will wipe them 
away. Look at the picture of the 
Saviour on the cross. See his hands, 
his feet, the prints of the nails. There 
behold your salvation, and your par- 
don ! That precious blood has (lowed. 
Jesus, at once your brother and your 
God, has taken your place. He was 
your judge, and after having con- 
demned you he makes himself the vic- 
tim. He has passed sentence, and it 
is he, who has undergone the punish- 
ment. But you will understand an il- 
lustration better. 

A servant owes a large sum of 
money to his master, who is the judge 
of the country. The law requires 
that all debtors pay what is due, or be 
thrown into prison. The creditor and 
judge ascends his tribunal, he com- 
mands his insolvent debtor to be sum- 
18 



206 SACRED SCENES. 

moned, and says to him : you owe me 
some thousands of talents. Do you 
acknowledge the debt, and confess 
that you merit punishment ? Yes 5 re- 
plies the servant, I confess that I 
cannot pay that which I owe you ; but 
I will go to prison to atone for my 
wrongs against you. You merit it, re- 
plies the master ; but I have compas- 
sion for you. Your debt must be paid 
to satisfy the law. I will pay it my- 
self, with my gold and silver. Go in 
peace. You are free. 

My dear children, this is precisely 
what God has done for you. He has 
given you a law, which you have 
transgressed. Before his tribunal, set 
up in your conscience, He says : Do 
you acknowledge that you have done 
wrong, and that you deserve to be 
punished with death ? Yes, Lord, 



SACRED SCENES. 207 

you reply, if you are truly penitent. 
; Then, answers your judge, I condemn 
\ you to death ; but as I wish to spare 

you from suffering, I myself will die in 

your place. Behold my life, my 
: blood, it flows upon the cross, your 
7 debt is remitted, you are pardoned 
■{ and saved. 

Now, see the joy of Mary : she 
I throws herself at the feet of Jesus ; 

she waters them with her tears. 
U Jesus raises her, and says to her, 

pointing to heaven. " Go to my 
/ brethren, and tell them that I go to 
I my Father and your Father." How 

sweetly consoling was this message 
; for the apostles ! Jesus gives them 
, the name of brethren, and he calls 
J his Father their father. Was not this 

a proof that he loves them always ? 

That he pardoned their abandonment 



208 SACRED SCENES. 

in Gethsemane, and that now as he had 
promised, he would go to his Father's 
house to prepare a place for them ? 
Yes, how this spread joy in their 
hearts, and these same men, but yes- 
terday so feeble, are now full of trust 
and confidence. Like Mary, they also 
see a risen Jesus ; they receive his 
instructions, and at length, after forty 
days, being assembled upon a moun- 
tain near Jerusalem, they see him 
re-ascend in glory to heaven, after 
bestowing upon them his last benedic- 
tions. 

Now, my dear children, I have 
finished the earthly life of Christ. 
This Saviour is in heaven where he 
prays for you. Strive to live so, that 
his prayers will avail ; and receive 
into your hearts the influence of the 
Holy Spirit, which he will cause to 



SACRED SCENES. 209 

descend, as he did upon his disciples 
at the day of Pentecost. But the dis- 
ciples, and the Pentecost lead me to 
speak of the history of the apostles, 
after the day of Ascension. It is this, 
which will form the subject of the fol- 
lowing narrations. You will no more 
find in them the mild and heavenly 
form of Jesus ; but that of Paul will, 
in a measure, console you in his 
absence. After having seen what 
Christ himself did, you will now learn 
what he can fit his followers to 
achieve. It will not be by his bodily 
presence, but always by his Spirit. 



18* 



210 



XV. 



DEATH OF ANANIAS. 

It is no more of a resurrection, but 
of a death, that I shall now speak to 
you, my children. And if the resur- 
rection of Jesus is the subject of our 
dearest hopes, the death of Ananias is 
a terrible example of the judgments 
of God. Look at the engraving and 
judge for yourselves. 

The man who has fallen backward, 
has been suddenly struck dead. At 
this sight, every one is seized with 
fear. Some throw themselves upon 
their knees ; others seem overcome 
with stupor, and remain motionless. 



SACRED SCENES. 213 

Peter, whose hand is extended towards 
Ananias, and the other apostles stand- 
ing near him, alone appear calm. 
Doubtless they had foreseen what 
would take place. And what had 
occurred ? I will now tell you. 

After Jesus had ascended to heaven 
he poured the Holy Spirit upon his 
disciples ; and they, from being poor, 
ignorant men, became intrepid and 
learned apostles of Christ. They 
preached the gospel, and those who 
were converted by their ministry 
were so strongly impressed with di- 
vine truths, that their lives were 
entirely changed. Avarice and hatred 
gave place in their hearts, to benevo- 
lence and love, as the book of the 
Acts most beautifully testifies : " And 
the multitude of them that believed, 
were of one heart and of one soul : 



214 SACRED SCENES. 

neither said any of them that aught of 
the things he possessed was his own ; 
but they had all things common. 
Neither was there any among them 
that lacked : for as many as were 
possessors of lands, or houses sold 
them, and brought the prices of the 
things that were sold, and laid them 
down at the apostles' feet : and distri- 
bution was made unto every man ac- 
cording as he had need." 

But, alas, in that time, as well as the 
present, there were in the Christian 
church some, who wished to enjoy the 
privileges of religion, and still clung 
to the vices of the world, and who imag- 
ined that they could deceive God, by the 
outward appearance, as they did their 
fellow-men. Such were Ananias and his 
wife Sapphira. They wished to have 
a reputation for piety and devotedness 



SACRED SCENES. 215 

and had sold a piece of land in imita- 
tion of Barnabas the Cyprian, who 
had brought the price of a field and 
laid it at the apostles' feet. But as 
this pair were not less avaricious than 
vain, and as they desired to obtain the 
applause of the world for generosity, 
while yet they had not the feeling in 
their hearts, they endeavored to com- 
promise their pride and covetousness, 
by a frightful lie. They took the 
money for the field, which had been 
sold in order to cast it into the com- 
mon treasury. But before leaving 
his house, Ananias laid away secretly 
part of the sum, and came to present 
the rest to the church, as being the 
entire price of the land. The other 
apostles are standing behind Peter, 
and some other Christians are gath- 



216 SACRED SCENES. 

ered together. Ananias enters, his 
heart is puffed up with vanity, as he 
brings forward his gold in an earthen 
vase. He looks around and sees with 
pleasure a crowd of spectators. He 
enjoys in imagination the surprise, 
which he hopes to excite in all the 
assembly, as the pieces of gold fall 
upon the resounding marble. All 
eyes are turned upon him. He 
chooses this moment, and approaching 
Peter, places before him the precious 
burden, which you see on the left of 
the apostle. Ananias after depositing 
the vase, rises and waits, expecting 
the approval of Peter, and the mur- 
mured applause of the assembly. 
What then, is his surprise and con- 
fusion, when he hears the apostle tell 
him that Satan has entered his heart. 



SACRED SCENES. 217 

" Ananias," said Peter, "why hath 
Satan filled thy heart to lie to the 
Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of 
the price of the land ? While it re- 
mained, was it not thine own ? and 
after it was sold, was it not in thine 
own power ? why hast thou conceived 
this thing in thine heart ? Thou hast 
not lied unto men, but unto God." 

At hearing these words Ananias fell 
down dead. A shuddering of fear 
seized all w T ho saw it, and some young 
men being there took his body out to 
bury it. The assembly were still 
conversing of what they had just seen, 
when Sapphira appeared before the 
apostles. There was a profound 
silence. Each wished to hear what 
she would reply to the question of 
Peter : " Tell me whether ye sold the 
19 



218 SACRED SCENES. 

land for so much ? And she said, 
Yea, for so much. Then Peter said 
unto her, How is it that ye have 
agreed together to tempt the Spirit of 
the Lord ? Behold the feet of them 
that have buried thy husband are at 
the door, and shall carry thee out." 
Immediately Sapphira fell down dead, 
and the young men having returned, 
bore out her body and laid her beside 
her husband. 

My children, there is not in all 
the Bible a more terrible example of 
the judgments of God. God is 
so merciful, that he waits a long time 
for sinners to repent. He solicits 
them even, sometimes by prosperity, 
sometimes by trials to turn to him. 
It would seem that God in his good- 
ness, waited with expectation and 
hope, and gave the guilty, in spite of 



SACRED SCENES. 219 

themselves, all necessary time to ac- 
knowledge their sins, to mourn over 
them, and seek a better heart. But 
now, God instantly strikes*the sinner 
dead. There is no hope left. He 
strikes, and Ananias is at once an in- 
habitant of the world of woe. What 
then has been his great crime ? You 
have heard. He has lied not only to 
men, but unto God himself. 

But why did God punish this false- 
hood with so much severity, while he 
waits with patience for the repentance 
of so many other liars ? As I have 
told you already, it was because Ana- 
nias sought to deceive not merely men, 
but God, in seeking to deceive the 
Apostles, who were animated by the 
Holy Spirit. Doubtless all falsehoods 
are equally guilty, but to lie unto God 
is to add insult to falsehood. Ananias 



220 SACRED SCENES. 

proved by it, either that he did not 
believe God sufficiently powerful to 
punish him, or else, that he doubted 
the existence of such a being. In ei- 
ther case how great his sin. This is 
not all. The falsehood of Ananias was 
of such a nature as to be hypocrisy ; 
and you know what we have said of 
this horrible sin, at once the parent 
and offspring of hell. What motive 
prompted to this deceit ? Was it to 
become rich ? No, for he might have 
kept back all his gold. But he desired 
to pass for a pious man, a devout 
Christian, and behold what a hypo- 
crite ! He expected that his praise 
would be in all the churches ; that he 
would be pointed out in public places, 
and praised at home for his munifi- 
cence. Now this would have been 
wrong, to have done a good deed, 



SACRED SCENES. 221 

merely to be approved by men ; but a 
worse thing still, is to commit a sinful 
action, with the pretence of goodness ; 
to tell falsehoods in order to appear 
sincere and generous. If Ananias had 
said to the apostles : I have brought 
you only half the price of the land, and 
have withheld the remainder, for my 
heart still loves the world too well to 
yield it all, doubtless Peter would 
have replied : Thou hast done well, 
to give according to the measure of thy 
charity. Now pray that God would 
enlarge thy heart and strengthen thy 
faith. But no : Ananias is avaricious, 
and wishes to be thought generous. 
He is an unbeliever, and desires to be 
considered a Christian. How revolting 
this to every honest soul. This was 
why Peter was so indignant, and why 
God punished instantly what seemed 
19* 



222 SACRED SCENES. 

at first a lie, but what deserves to be 
called hypocrisy. 

My children, do you think there 
are many hypocrites in the world as 
guilty as Ananias ? I think not. I 
suppose that you, for example, are far 
from any intention of lying to God. 
But there is a kind of hypocrisy, which 
without amounting to that, is yet very 
criminal. Perhaps you have already 
remarked it in yourselves, or others, 
without really understanding its char- 
acter. I will describe it to you, that 
you may avoid it in future : and for this 
purpose, will relate to you the history 
of a young man. 

This young man, or boy, as you may 
choose to call him, had pious parents, 
who each day read the Bible in the 
family and prayed, before seating them- 
selves at the table. They often con- 



SACRED SCENES. 223 

versed upon religious subjects, and 
frequented the church on Sabbath. 
On going to the house of God, this 
child asked his father to give him a 
piece of money, that he was about to 
bestow for the poor, in order that he 
might have the pleasure of putting it 
in the bag presented at the door. At 
table, he was anxious to be invited to 
return thanks, that others might hear 
how well he knew how to pray. At 
family worship, if any question oc- 
curred concerning any character, or 
passage in the Scripture, this little 
fellow, eager to show his religious 
knowledge, would hasten to find the 
page and chapter where it was found. 
And whenever a collection was taken 
up for the poor, or the missionary 
cause, and he gave his offering, it was 
not without thinking that his name 
would be published in full, among the 



224 SACRED SCENES. 

list of donors. His father perceived 
very soon this pious vanity, and as he 
wished to give his son a lesson with- 
out the mortification of a direct re- 
proach, he one day read to him the 
history of Ananias, which I have just 
related. Then explaining it, as I have 
done to you, he kneeled down with 
his son, and prayed in these words : 
My God ! may the example of Ananias 
not be lost upon us. Discover to us 
the deceitfulness of our hearts : as to 
be sincere with thee, we must first be 
so with ourselves. Yes, Lord we too 
much resemble Ananias in that, we 
are prone to be vain of the good we 
do. And this dear child, who kneels 
by my side, greatly needs that thou 
shouldst teach him to know himself, 
and to conquer the too great desire of 
appearing well in the sight of his fel- 
low-men. Thou knowest, oh Lord, 



SACRED SCENES. 225 

that sometimes he prays in order to be 
heard by men. That he gives to be 
seen by others. That he speaks of 
thee, that he may seem to others re- 
ligious. My God ! pardon him, and 
give him a new, faithful and sincere 
heart. Grant above all, that he may 
be free from all guile and hypocrisy. 
Lord, it is for my child that I pray. 
It is for a son, that I love, and that I 
wish to see prepared to dwell with 
thee in heaven. In the name of thine 
own Son, oh Lord, answer this prayer 
for a dearly beloved child ! Amen ! 

On rising from his knees, the father 
perceived that his son tried to wipe 
away his tears with the back of his little 
hand, and thus was led to hope that 
he also had prayed from the heart, and 
that this prayer from two sincere hearts 
would be answered. Do not you think 
so too, my children 1 



226 



XYI. 



SAUL GOING TO DAMASCUS. 

This new engraving is not very un- 
like the preceding. Here again, a 
man has been thrown to the ground, 
by a supernatural power ; and those 
around are seized with sudden fear. 
But the event of this scene will be 
very different from the sad end of 
Ananias and Sapphira. In order that 
you may understand the meaning of 
this picture, I must relate to you, two 
histories strikingly contrasted. 

At the period of the Christian 
church when disciples were multi- 
plied by hundreds and thousands daily, 



228 SACRED SCENES. 

there was in Jerusalem a young man, 
who was full of hatred towards Chris- 
tians. His name was Saul. Not satis- 
fied with merely hating the disciples 
of Jesus, he persecuted them with a 
fury and rage that seemed to border 
on madness. It was his meat and 
drink to find some new Christian, 
whom he might drag before the San- 
hedrim, obtain his condemnation and 
cast him into prison. He evinced a 
fiendish joy, in constraining, by tor- 
ture, the feeble disciples to blaspheme 
the name of Jesus, their Saviour. He 
persecuted even the old men, women 
and children ; and, if he could afflict 
the Christians in any way, he w r as sat- 
isfied. More than this : after having 
obtained their condemnation, he wished 
also to enjoy the spectacle of their suf- 
ferings and death. Thus, for exam- 






SACRED SCENES. 229 

pie, when one day the Jews had 
assembled to stone St. Stephen, Saul, 
in order the better to witness this 
cruel punishment, was seated upon the 
ground, guarding the vestments of the 
murderers, and feasting his eyes with 
his sufferings and agony. Like a 
tiger, that having tasted blood, feels a 
raging thirst for a new victim ; so Saul, 
triumphing in the death of the holy 
Stephen, wished the horrid enjoyment 
of still causing the blood of the saints 
to flow. He then demanded of the 
High Priests of Jerusalem, a -written 
commission, that he might go to Da- 
mascus and persecute all whom he 
might find in that city. He departed 
from Jerusalem, breathing out threat- 
enings and slaughter, and, while he 
pursues his journey unmolested, I 
will give you the other narration. 
20 



230 SACRED SCENES. 

About the same period there was in 
the church of Jesus Christ, a saint pro- 
bably more devoted, fearless, and ar- 
dent, than any other Christian. His 
name was Paul. Paul devoted himself 
without reserve to the service of his 
master. He traversed what was then 
known of Europe and Asia, that he 
might convert Jews and Gentiles to 
Christianity. At night he labored 
with his hands for his support ; and 
during the day he preached, that he 
might save souls. He well knew that 
his zeal would bring upon him the ha- 
tred of the Sanhedrim; but no matter, 
he continued with no less ardor to 
teach and preach in the synagogues, 
that Jesus, whom they had put to 
death, was the Son of God. Paul 
braved every danger. He endured 
imprisonments and chains. He was 



SACRED SCENES. 231 

many times stoned, suffered ship- 
wrecks, hunger, and all that Jewish 
hatred could inflict, without fear, or 
dismay. This is my second narrative, 
my children ; and now was there ever 
any thing more strange ? This Saul, 
the furious persecutor of the Christians, 
and this Paul, their devoted friend ; 
this Saul and Paul are one and the 
same person. Where the history of the 
first ends, the second commences. 
How could such a wonderful change 
be produced in this man ? It is this, 
that I shall now explain to you, and 
you will then understand the engraving 
before you. 

Saul, as I told you, left Jerusalem, 
and was on his way to Damascus. He 
approached near the city, which you 
see upon the left. He was accompa- 
nied by some Jews, urged on by the 



232 SACRED SCENES. 

same cruel spirit as himself. He was 
revolving in his mind while on the 
route, what course he should take on 
his arrival, in order the more certainly 
to seize the Christians, when suddenly 
a light, brighter than the sun, burst 
from the heavens upon him and his 
companions, and they fell down dis- 
mayed, upon the ground. Look : Paul 
is thrown violently backward, and 
seems as though he had made a last 
effort of rage in resistance. He still 
grasps his deadly commission ; for, 
even in the midst of his terror, struck 
down, as by a flash of lightning, he 
would not drop the paper, which in- 
sured to him his victims. His com- 
panions, less resolute, fly, or conceal 
their faces in their mantles, or upon the 
ground. While all are thus prostrate, 
a voice from heaven is heard saying : 



SACRED SCENES. 233 



£C 



Saul, Saul, why persecutes t thou 
me ?" Saul replies : " Who art thou 
Lord?" and the voice answers: "I 
am Jesus whom thou persecutest." 
And he trembling and astonished said : 
Lord what wilt thou have me to do ? 
And the Lord said unto him, "Arise 
and go into the city and it shall be told 
thee what thou must do." The men, 
who journeyed with Saul, remained 
speechless with fear. Saul arose and 
attempted to open his eyes, but could 
not. He was blind ! and his compan- 
ions were obliged to lead him into Da- 
mascus. There was in that city a man, 
named Ananias, who had received, in 
a vision from the Lord, a command to 
seek Saul, and to announce to him that 
God had chosen him, the greatest en- 
emy of the Christians, to become the 
most powerful instrument in the con- 
20* 



234 SACRED SCENES. 

version of Jews and Gentiles, and to 
declare boldly his truth before kings. 
Ananias went to the house of Saul, and 
found him praying ; and said to him, 
" Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, 
who appeared unto thee in the way as 
thou earnest, hath sent me, that thou 
mightest receive thy sight, and be 
filled with the Holy Ghost." Imme- 
diately the scales fell from the eyes of 
Saul, and his sight was restored. Thus 
the light of day broke upon his sight, 
at the same time when the rays of the 
Holy Spirit penetrated his soul. From 
this time, Saul is no more. Paul takes 
his place. The old man was de- 
stroyed, the new man was created; and 
in this regenerate heart, Jews and 
Christians, friends and enemies, all are 
embraced with his most ardent love 
and prayers. Behold, my children, 



SACRED SCENES. 235 

this astonishing change, which seemed 
to form an entirely different being, may 
be explained in these few words : Paul 
received the Holy Spirit. 

Observe that it was not the light, 
which shone upon them as they went 
to Damascus, that changed the heart 
of Paul : for it only served to strike 
down, and dazzle his companions. It 
was not the voice which he heard : for 
even then he knew not what to do, 
but remained blind and waiting for the 
will of the Lord in prayer, for three 
days in his house. That which so 
changed Paul, afterwards the Apostle, 
was, that he was filled with the Holy 
Ghost ; for as soon as he received it, 
he rose up, and immediately preached 
in the synagogues, that Christ was the 
Son of God. 

Now the point, I wish you clearly 



236 SACRED SCENES. 

to comprehend is, that it was not the 
miracle upon the way that changed 
the heart of Paul ; but the Spirit which 
he received when he prayed. This is 
a truth important to yourselves ; for 
you will not have the companions, 
or the missive of the chief priests, or 
see the sudden light, or hear a voice, 
as did Paul ; but you can all receive 
the Holy Spirit. What did Paul do, 
to obtain it? What was he doing at 
the moment when it entered his heart? 
Simply, he prayed. You too may 
pray ; and you too, will receive the all- 
powerful Spirit, which renews the 
heart, gives faith, sanctifies the life 
and changes a blaspheming Saul, into 
a devoted martyr, Paul. 

I have told you that Paul was a 
young man at this period. It is true ; 
yet he was not as young as you ; and 



SACRED SCENES. 237 

perhaps you think that it is only to 
older persons that God gives his grace. 
I can undeceive you, and will mention 
some instances, where young children 
were enlightened by the same Spirit, 
and upheld by the same God. 

And first, the most beautiful exam- 
ple, is that of Jesus himself, who at 
the age of twelve years discoursed 
with the doctors in the temple at Jeru- 
salem, and astonished them by the 
wisdom of his answers. It was, the 
Evangelist tells us, because the grace 
of God was with him. David was as- 
sisted by it, when a feeble strip- 
ling of fifteen years, he slew the 
giant Goliah. Samuel was but a little 
boy, when he served in the temple, 
was pleasing in God's sight, and had 
visions from him. And doubtless you, 
yourselves, remember what Jesus said, 



238 SACRED SCENES. 

that God would receive praises even 
from the mouths of babes and sucklings; 
and you have seen that when on earth 
he blessed children, so young, that he 
took them in his arms. Why then 
will not you, my dear little ones, re- 
ceive these same blessings, this same 
wisdom, this Holy Spirit ? You may 
experience them by the same means 
that Saul and these children obtained 
them. You have only to ask for them ; 
you have only to pray. 



239 



XVII. 



PAUL AND BARNABAS AT LYSTRA. 

Among your sports, my children, 
there is one that you seem to prefer to 
all others. It is that of representing 
scenes of real life, and personating 
kings and nobles. Thus, it is your 
delight to play war ; to divide your- 
selves into two armies, choose your 
chiefs, and then have a mimic battle. 
Often have I seen, in the streets, a 
band of children, marching in pro- 
cession, gravely hoisting their ban- 
ners, chanting in Latin without pro- 
nouncing a word ; and placing the 
largest among them, under a superb 



SACRED SCENES. 241 

canopy, formed by a pocket handker- 
chief. Further, in these imitations of 
great and pompous affairs, each pants 
for the highest place. All wish to be 
generals, or bishops, princes, or prin- 
cesses, kings, or queens. And if any 
are too young, to pretend to these 
high ranks, they remain simple sol- 
diers, or citizens ; but yet, are am- 
bitious of being something. I can 
\\ then imagine, that if you should be 
i| made a general, a prince, or an em- 
I peror, in reality, that you would ac- 
cept the honor eagerly ; and the 
I higher the rank, the greater your con- 
tent. To-day, we will suppose you 
governor of a province ; to-morrow a 
J king ; in a week, monarch of the 
world. You have a brilliant court, 
j and numerous armies. You are seat- 
jj ed upon a throne shining with gold, a 
21 



242 SACRED SCENES. 

crown of diamonds on your brow, and 
an immense crowd surrounding you, 
crying : " Long live our great em- 
peror !" My children, this has been 
witnessed many times ; now, tell me, 
would you be displeased at being thus 
honored ? On the contrary, is not 
your heart delighted at the idea? Well 
now, by supposition, you are master 
of the w T orld, and surrounded by twenty 
different nations. Suddenly a voice in 
the crowd shouts : This is God, and 
not man. Let us raise altars, and 
sacrifice to him. Let him receive our 
adoration ! At this cry, all the multi- 
tude full of admiration for you, respond, 
Yes, he is God. Let us build him 
temples, and let every knee be 
bowed before him. At this moment 
of enthusiasm, what will you, as mon- 
arch of the world, do ? Will you ac- 



SACRED SCENES. 243 

cept, or refuse these honors ? This 
is a hard question, but from your pre- 
vious eagerness for a sword, a throne, 
and a crown, I am led to infer that 
you would accept a little incense, a 
small temple, and the title of divine 
sovereign. So many have done so be- 
fore you, that, belonging as you do to 
the same human family, your conduct 
probably would not differ from the 
Roman Emperor, who suffered himself 
to be styled the divine Augustus, or 
from that of Alexander, who caused 
altars to be created to himself. In all 
cases, this is so much the tendency of 
the human heart, that you would pro- 
bably yield with little solicitation. 

Now look at the engraving, and see 
what two disciples of Jesus did in sim- 
ilar circumstances. I will give you 
the recital from the book of Acts. 



244 SACRED SCENES. 

" Paul and Barnabas fled unto Lystra 
and Derbe, cities of Lyconia, and there 
they preached the gospel. And there 
sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in 
his feet, being a cripple from his mo- 
ther's womb, who had never walked. 
The same heard Paul speak : who 
steadfastly beholding him, and per- 
ceiving that he had faith to be healed, 
said with a loud voice, Stand upright 
on thy feet ; and he leaped and walk- 
ed. And when the people saw what 
Paul had done, they lifted up their 
voices, saying in the speech of Ly- 
conia : The gods are come down to us 
in the likeness of men. And they 
called Barnabas Jupiter, and Paul 
Mercurius, because he was the chief 
speaker. Then the priest of Jupiter, 
which was before their city, brought 
oxen and garlands unto the gates, and 



SACRED SCENES. 245 

would have done sacrifice with the 
people. " 

Now behold the apostles, in precise- 
ly the same situation, in which I just 
now supposed you to be placed. The 
people are ready to honor them with 
crowns and sacrifices. Look at the 
engraving. The lame man, whom 
they have just healed, has thrown 
down his crutches, and rises with his 
hands clasped, and his lips open, as 
if returning thanks. Behind him a 
young woman and a man gaze with as- 
tonishment upon these now useless 
crutches, witnesses at once of his 
lameness and cure. An idolatrous 
old man stoops to pick them up, with 
the intention, probably, of hanging 
them on the walls of his temple, that 
there he may worship them. Two 
little boys attend upon the sacrifice ; 
21* 



246 SACRED SCENES. 

one playing upon a double pipe, and 
the other supported by the portable 
altar, burns there the incense which 
he carries in his casket. On all sides, 
victims are brought to be sacrificed to 
Paul and Barnabas. On their right, a 
man holding a ram by its horns, solic- 
its by his look, a word from him, 
w T hom he believes to be the god Mer- 
cury. On the other side, are some 
bullocks, which they offer to Jupiter. 
An old man holds an oak-leaf garland 
in his hand ; others have placed 
crowns upon their heads ; all press 
around the victims and look with ven- 
eration upon the apostles. By the 
side of the bullock, a man and two 
females have prostrated themselves, 
and seem to make supplication. The 
priest raises his axe over the head 
of the victim. Then all the people 



SACRED SCENES. 247 

shout : These are gods in human form. 
These are deities. In the midst of 
this scene of enthusiasm, what is the 
conduct of the two apostles? Behold 
my children! Transported with in- 
dignation, that the honors which be- 
long to the Creator alone, are offered 
to them, poor, weak creatures ; they 
rend their clothes, and rush into the 
midst of the crowd to restrain them 
crying out, " Sirs, why do ye these 
things? We also are men of like 
passions with you, and preach unto 
you, that ye should turn from these 
vanities unto the living God, who 
made heaven and earth." 

What a difference between the con- 
duct of the disciples, and that which 
you would naturally be inclined to fol- 
low. They give to God all the honor. 
Whatever they do, whatever they are, 



248 SACRED SCENES. 

they never forget that they owe every 
thing to their creator ; that He has 
given them all their faculties, and that 
to him they should give all the glory. 
If, as Paul and Barnabas they perform 
miracles, they know that they are on- 
ly the instruments, and they direct the 
praises of those who are healed to 
God. If they distinguish themselves 
in the world by their talents, piety, or 
riches, they confess that all these come 
from God, who gives the intellectual 
power, the Spirit to sanctify, or the 
gold to enrich ; and to him, the source, 
should return all the glory. They 
feel that in themselves they are noth- 
ing ; that their strength is borrowed, 
and that continually they ought to say 
with the Psalmist : " Glory be to thee 
Oh Lord, and to us confusion of face. " 
But those, on the contrary, who follow 
the promptings of the natural heart, 



SACRED SCENES. 249 

not renewed by the Spirit of God, are 
proud of their least qualities. To 
themselves alone they give all the glo- 
ry. They wish that every body 
should believe them learned, virtuous, 
rich ; and, even when they do not 
possess these qualities, they desire to 
be thought to have them. To receive 
honor and applause is all they desire ; 
and their vanity is fed both by that 
which is real, and that which only 
seems to be so ; as you find pleasure, 
in your sports, in imitating great per- 
sonages, and your high pretension, 
your childish vanity peeps out in your 
games. 

But let us return to our history. 
Paul and Barnabas at length prevented 
the people of Lystra from worshiping 
them. Some days after, some Jews 
came into the city, and by false re- 
ports, so wrought up the prejudices 



250 SACRED SCENES. 

of the people against the apostles, 
that they persuaded them to put them 
to death. Then this same populace, 
who, a little time before were ready- 
to worship Paul, fell upon and stoned 
him ; and he was left as dead upon 
the very pavement of the city, where 
lately they would have offered him 
sacrifices and crowns. 

Behold the term of all human glory ! 
Those who accord their praises to-day, 
withdraw them to-morrow. Envy 
takes the place of admiration, and the 
inconstant people trample to the 
ground to-day, the idol, whose altars 
were yesterday wreathed with smoking 
incense. And do not think, my friends, 
that these changes of fortune can be- 
fall only the great. All the vain, and 
proud, whether small or great, are 
equally exposed to them. Thus you, 
by vain pretensions, excite hatred 



SACRED SCENES. 251 

when you seek for honor. Wherever 
you desire to assert your little author- 
ity, you will find other children, who 
will humble you to make you feel 
theirs. If you ever succeed in gain- 
ing their favor, or captivating their ad- 
miration, it will last but a day, and 
to-morrow, perhaps, you will be for- 
gotten, or turned into ridicule. An- 
other will take your place, and you 
will be doubly humiliated. 

Paul and Barnabas looked with con- 
tempt upon fleeting glory ; and they 
will find enduring happiness. They 
abased themselves, and God has eter- 
nally exalted them. Now in heaven, 
they contemplate the majesty of the 
Eternal, and drink in supreme felicity. 
Remember, then, that man was not 
formed to secure happiness, by grasp- 
ing, insatiable pride, but by sweet, 
gentle humility. 



252 



XVIII. 



PAUL PREACHING AT ATHENS. 

We are now in front of Athens, my 
dear children, as you know, a cele- 
brated city of Greece. You see the 
edifices are of Grecian architecture, 
and perhaps you can tell after what 
order these temples are constructed. 
Observe that both of them are situated 
upon little hills. The Greeks pre- 
ferred to build them on an elevated 
site, and with good reason. Thus 
placed, these aerial temples overlooked 
all human habitations, and their chaste 
and elegant colonnades, seemed to at- 



254 SACRED SCENES. 

tract the attention, only to direct it 
upward to the pure azure of the skies, 
in quest of divinity. Outside of these 
temples, in the public places in the 
streets of Athens every where, arose 
altars and statues in honor of false dei- 
ties. You have here an instance in the 
marble warrior, with a lance in his 
hand, and a buckler of brass. What ! 
is that a god? We will speak of it 
soon. But before going farther, I 
wish to prevent a question, which no 
doubt will arise in your minds. Since 
there exists but one, only God, the 
creator of the universe, how was it 
that the Athenians adored so many, 
that even every temple, square and 
street had a different divinity? Be- 
hold my children the explanation of 
this moral. 

True, there exists but one only, 



SACRED SCENES. 255 

living and true God. The order 
which we observe in all parts of the 
universe, is the first proof of it. For 
example, it is clear that one and the 
same God must have formed the earth, 
which brings forth harvests, and the 
sun, necessary to ripen those harvests. 
And as all the worlds, moving in space, 
have mutual dependences, and one 
could not be added to or removed from 
them, without deranging the beautiful 
regularity of the system, it is no less 
evident that they all have one and the 
same Creator. This God, as Paul said 
in a discourse addressed to the Athe- 
nians, is not far from each one of us. 
We may, in a manner, reach him by 
his works, and he manifests himself to 
our consciences. But the Athenians, 
alas ! like too many others, did not 
wish to obey the voice which com- 



256 SACRED SCENES. 

manded them to restrain their sinful 
passions. And to stifle its monitions, 
they create false Gods, who are even 
like themselves. For example ; do 
they desire to make war upon their 
neighbors without any just cause ? In 
order to appease their consciences, 
they invent a god of war, and call him 
Mars. Do they wish to indulge with- 
out restraint their impure desires ? 
They suppose a goddess favorable to 
unholy passions, and style her Venus. 
When they forebode coming ills, they 
sacrifice to the divinity of Fear. When 
they desire to become rich they set up 
the god of Trade ; and to make even 
theft lawful and right, they call this 
same god Mercury, the protector of 
thieves. So of all the rest. This is 
the origin of the false gods. 

At this period, my friends, men in 



SACRED SCENES. 257 

enlightened countries cannot do so, 
because it is clear to all that there can 
be but one God. But yet, there are 
ways by which those, who are Chris- 
tians only in name and not in heart, 
reach the same result. All acknowl- 
edge that there is but one God ; but 
they ascribe to him whatever qualities 
they please. The impure say that 
God cannot condemn them, for enjoy- 
ing the pleasures which may be found 
in the world he has made. The ava- 
ricious miser declares, that God ought 
to love only prudence and economy. 
Thus, though neither sets up a false 
god, they change the true God to their 
own image. You see that this reflects 
almost perfectly the conduct of the 
Pagans. 

But after the Athenians had fabri- 
cated gods for every thing, and still 
22* 



258 SACRED SCENES. 

were far from finding rest and happi- 
ness, they thought that probably there 
was still another divinity in heaven, 
who was the dispenser of bliss, and 
whom they did not know. Then they 
erected an altar to him, with this in- 
scription : 
" TO THE UNKNOWN GOD." 
What certain proof, my children, 
that there is no other God, than God, 
and that to address prayers to any 
other, is time lost, and a vain super- 
stition. 

Paul, seeing this whole city so given 
to idolatry, was filled with a fervent 
desire to declare to them the gospel. 
Besides, the Athenians desired noth- 
ing better, than to listen to that which 
Paul had to say ; for they spent their 
time in hearing and telling some new 
thing. Some Epicurean philosophers 
and Stoics commence a discourse with 



S4CRED SCENES. 259 

him. They bring him unto Mars Hill, 
where they were accustomed to col- 
lect, from all parts, to converse and 
instruct. It is there, that Paul in the 
midst of the crowd begins his admira- 
ble discourse. Look now at the en- 
graving, for it is precisely this scene 
that is there represented. 

The three men in the foreground, 
on the left of the picture, two of whom 
are seated, each holding a scroll, and 
the other standing with an unmoved, 
statue-like aspect, are three Stoics, a 
sect of philosophers, who assert that 
men ought to endure suffering and pain 
without complaint, and with frigid 
calmness. Those whom you see care- 
lessly reclining behind the apostle, 
are a group of Epicureans, whose pre- 
tended wisdom consisted in enjoying 
the pleasures of to-day, reckless of to- 



260 SACRED SCENES. 

morrow. On your right, you see an 
Areopagite, named Dionysius, upon 
his knees with his hands raised towards 
Paul, and, by him, a woman of dis- 
tinction, named Damaris. Immedi- 
ately upon their right is a doctor, who 
thinks he has heard enough, and walks 
away with a book under his arm. 

Paul, standing upon the declivity 
of the hill, extends one hand, that he 
may command attention. With the 
other, he points to the altar upon the 
rock, and thus addresses the attentive 
crowd. " Ye men of Athens ! I per- 
ceive that in all things ye are too su- 
perstitious. For as I passed by and be- 
held your devotions, I found an altar with 
this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN 
GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly 
worship, him declare I unto you. God 
that made the world and all things 



SACRED SCENES, 261 

therein, seeing that he is Lord of hea- 
ven and earth dwelleth not in temples 
made with hands ; neither is worshiped 
with men's hands as though he needed 
any thing seeing that he giveth to all 
life, and breath, and all things ; and 
hath made of one blood all nations of 
men to dwell on all the face of the 
earth, and hath determined the times 
before appointed, and the bounds of 
their habitations ; that they should seek 
the Lord, if haply they might feel after 
him and find him, though he be not 
far from every one of us : for in him 
we live and move and have our being ; 
as certain also of your ow T n poets have 
said, For we are also his offspring. 
Inasmuch then as we are the offspring 
of God, we ought not to think that the 
Godhead is like unto silver or gold or 
stone graven by art and man's device. 



262 SACRED SCENES. 

And the times of this ignorance God 
winked at ; but now commandeth all 
men every where to repent : because 
he hath appointed a day, in the which 
he will judge the world in righteous- 
ness by that man whom he hath or- 
dained, whereof he hath given assur- 
ance unto all men, in that he hath 
raised him from the dead." Acts 17: 
22—31. 

Observe now, my friends, the effect 
produced upon the hearers by this dis- 
course. That Stoic remains standing, 
all unmoved. The Epicureans recline 
carelessly, as before, without giving 
the slightest sign of emotion. Those 
philosophers think themselves too 
wise, to be instructed by a simple 
Christian ; and, when Paul speaks of 
the resurrection of the dead, Epicure- 
ans and Stoics depart with a burst of 



SACRED SCENES. 263 

laughter, saying to the apostle jesting- 
ly : We will hear thee again of these 
fine things. Yet, all these sects had 
some religion, for we have seen how 
numerous their deities were. How 
could they have a religion, if they did 
not believe in a future life ? They 
addressed their gods, only to obtain 
some earthly good, as health, rain, 
or fine weather, harvests and prosper- 
ity; and these great philosophers never 
dreamed, that the God who created 
them could also restore life from the 
tomb. 

Guard, my children, against the de- 
ception of the heart, which persuading 
itself that it is religious, turns its 
thoughts to God only to draw down 
some earthly blessing. It makes us 
believe ourselves Christians, because 
from God, and not man, we seek the 



264 SACRED SCENES. 

means of gratifying our passions. Yes, 
God gives health, life, and earthly- 
happiness ; but he desires us, above 
all, to seek from him life and happi- 
ness in the world which has no end. 
And Jesus Christ says to us : " Seek 
ye first the kingdom of God and his 
righteousness, and all these things 
shall be added unto you/' 

Dionysius, judge of the Areopagus, 
and consequently a learned old man, 
who had studied the systems of the 
Stoics and Epicureans, and doubtless 
felt their insufficiency, was disposed to 
listen to St. Paul. Thus having heard 
him, and lifted his heart in prayer to 
the God, then declared unto him, he 
extends his hand towards the apostle, 
in token of satisfaction and belief. 

Damaris, the Athenian lady, seems 
to listen to Paul with attention and 



SACRED SCENES. 265 

pleasure ; she with some others, like 
Dionysius, believe on Jesus Christ. 

You notice that here, as we have 
observed in many other instances, the 
same incident leads to two different 
results. Under the preaching of Paul, 
some go away to mock, others are 
converted. Thus now, in whatever 
way it may be explained, men are very 
sure to take one of these courses. Do 
not suffer yourself to be led away by 
those, who make light of these things, 
neither be afraid of reproach ; for the 
sentence pronounced upon the scorner, 
is much more to be feared. In order 
to decide, consult your own con- 
sciences, seek wisdom from God in 
prayer, and if you need an example, 
follow that of Jesus Christ. 
23 



267 



XIX 



PAUL BEFORE KING AGRIPPA. 

Among this group, my children, 
there are two persons, who doubtless 
will particularly attract your attention. 
That king sitting upon his throne, a 
sceptre in his hand, a crown upon his 
head, and the prisoner with his feet 
bare and his hands loaded with chains. 
Of these two men which do you think 
the most happy ? Look at them. As 
for the king, incense burns around his 
throne, soldiers stand as his body 
guard, banners are unfurled in his 
honor. The prisoner stands manacled, 



268 SACRED SCENES. 

and a jailor holds firmly one end 
of the chain. A Jewish priest upon 
your left, comes to accuse him and 
demand his death. When he with- 
draws, Agrippa will return to a 
palace ; but Paul on leaving this court 
goes to a dungeon. My children, it is 
almost superfluous to inquire, whose 
lot is most to be envied, whether the 
king upon the throne, or the prisoner 
in irons ? Certainly, the liberty, 
riches, and honors of the first, appear 
to you far more desirable than the 
chains, the misery, and the disgrace 
of the last. Yet listen a moment and 
perhaps you will form a wiser decis- 
ion. 

Paul had been brought before Fes- 
tus, a Roman governor, by the Jews, 
who accused him and sought his death. 
The apostle appealed to Csesar and 



SACRED SCENES. 269 

was soon to depart for Rome. But 
before his departure from Cesarea, 
king Agrippa accompanied by the 
princess Bernice arrived in that city, 
and having heard much of Paul, de- 
sired that he might be presented 
before him. Festus caused a throne 
to be erected for Bernice and the 
king ; then assembling his lords, com- 
manded that the apostle should be 
brought forth from his prison. He 
came surrounded by his guards, and 
loaded with chains. Then being in- 
vited by the prince, to plead his own 
cause, he gave this most admirable 
discourse : 

" I think myself happy, king Agrip- 
pa, because I shall answer for myself 
this day before thee : — especially be- 
cause I know thee to be expert in all 
the customs and questions which are 
23* 



270 SACRED SCENES. 

among the Jews ; wherefore I beseech 
thee to hear me patiently. And now 
I stand and am judged for the hope of 
the promise made by God unto our 
fathers. Why should it be thought 
a thing incredible with you that God 
should raise the dead ? I verily thought 
with myself that I ought to do many 
things contrary to the name of Jesus 
of Nazareth. Which thing I also did 
in Jerusalem : and many of the saints 
did I shut up in prison having re- 
ceived authority from the chief priests ; 
and when they were put to death, I 
gave my voice against them. Where- 
upon as I went to Damascus w 7 ith 
authority and commission from the 
chief priests, at mid-day oh king ! I 
saw in the way a light from heaven 
above the brightness of the sun, shin- 
ing round about me and them that 



SACRED SCENES. 271 

journeyed with me. Whereupon, oh 
king Agrippa ! I was not disobedient 
unto the heavenly vision : but showed 
first unto them at Damascus, and at 
Jerusalem and throughout all the coasts 
of Judea and then to the Gentiles, 
that they should repent and turn to 
God, and do works meet for repent- 
ance. For these causes the Jews 
caught me in the temple and went 
about to kill me. Having obtained 
help of God, I continue unto this day, 
witnessing both to small and great, 
saying none other things than those 
which the Prophets and Moses did say 
should come : that Christ should suffer, 
and that he should be the first that 
should rise from the dead, and should 
show light unto the people, and to the 
Gentiles. And as he thus spake for 
himself, Festus said with a loud voice, 



272 SACRED SCENES. 

Paul thou art beside thyself! much 
learning doth make thee mad. But he 
said I am not mad most noble Festus ! 
but speak forth the words of truth and 
soberness. For the king knoweth of 
these things, before whom also I speak 
freely : for I am persuaded that none 
of these things are hidden from him ; 
for this thing was not done in a cor- 
ner. King Agrippa, believest thou the 
Prophets 1 I know that thou believ- 
est. Then Agrippa said unto Paul, 
Almost thou persuadest me to be a 
Christian. And Paul said, I would to 
God that not only thou but also all 
that hear me this day, were both 
almost, and altogether such as I am, 
except these bonds." 

You see, my friends, the king is not 
at ease. His spirit is troubled. One 
moment, half persuaded by the apos- 



SACRED SCENES. 273 

tie, he thinks of becoming a Christian : 
but restrained by the example of the 
High Priest, and Festus, who remain 
a Jew and a Pagan, he dares not 
change his faith, for fear of their ridi- 
cule. He calls to mind the Prophets, 
and confessed to himself, that Jesus 
has fulfilled their predictions. Then 
he inclines to the Gospel ; but as soon 
as he enters into conversation with the 
Proconsul, who had said to Paul, that 
he was mad, he fears being thought 
feeble-minded, in giving his confidence 
to the words of a mad-man. Finally, 
he decides to remain the friend of the 
Jew and the Pagan. But if the king 
did not become a Christian, the rea- 
sons which staggered his faith in his 
own religion, still haunted his mind, 
rebuking his folly. You know what 
punishment those suffer, who act 



274 SACRED SCENES. 

against their consciences. Ah, this 
punishment was his, for life. To be 
always " almost persuaded," but nev- 
er converted ; to see the right way, 
without the courage to walk in it : 
and, as the height of suffering to feel 
that he himself was the cause of all, 
what anguish was this ! Can a throne 
make amends for all this ? Because 
one suffers with a crown upon his 
head, does he suffer any the less ? 
Because the body is surrounded by 
servants, and loaded with splendor, is 
the mind any more tranquil ? My 
children, you have been sick some- 
times, and then, your friends placed 
toys upon your couch, they presented 
sweetmeats to your pale lips ; but do 
you not recollect how they wearied 
you, and palled upon your taste ? 
Just so the troubled, anxious mind of 



SACRED SCENES. 275 

the king felt, in view of the gew-gaws 
of royalty — a throne, a crown, and the 
splendor of festival seasons. Would 
you wish, my children, to be sick, that 
you might enjoy the amusements 
which were lavished upon your hours 
of suffering ? No, doubtless not. 
Would you then accept the magnifi- 
cence of king Agrippa, attended by 
all his mental anguish ? But before 
deciding between the lot of the mon- 
arch and the apostle, let us examine 
more closely, the character of the latter. 
True, Paul is loaded with chains, yet he 
has thought of them so little, that he did 
not feel their weight, until he saluted 
those who had placed them on him. 
Would to God, he cried, that you w r ere 
all as I am this day, except these 
bonds. He returns to his cell, but we 
know that he went back rejoicing ; for 



276 SACRED SCENES. 

it is from a prison that he addresses 
these words to the beloved Philippians. 
Fulfillye my joy, having the same love, 
being of one mind. He was persuaded 
that far from being set at liberty, he 
should lose his life. It gives him no 
anxiety ; he is still happy, and can 
say, Oh death where is thy sting ? 
Oh grave where is thy victory ? 
Thanks be unto God who giveth us 
the victory through our Lord Jesus 
Christ. What gave to the apostle such 
supernatural strength ? He was cer- 
tain of his pardon and salvation. He 
felt that a glorious heaven awaited 
him. Already it seemed to burst upon 
his sight. If it was the will of God to 
take him out of the world, he rejoiced, 
as then he should be with his Saviour ; 
but if toil and suffering awaited him 
yet, on earth, he glorified in it all, that 



SACRED SCENES. 277 

he might do good to his fellow-men. 
Whether he lived or died, it was to 
him gain. He was not eager to depart, 
nor desirous to remain. His eternity 
was already begun, for death was only 
a change of residence. He ascended 
from earth to heaven, and both here 
and on high he loves God and is happy. 
Now with such feelings and such hopes, 
what signify a little suffering, some 
hours of misery, a prison, hunger and 
the world's contempt ? The storm is 
soon passed and then the pure sky of 
heaven will never be overcast. 

Now look at the inward life of Paul 
and Agrippa, and choose between 
them, my children. 



24 



278 



XX, 



ST. PAUL IN THE ISLE OF MALTA. 

Does not the title surprise you my 
children ? Do you not wonder why 
the scene of my narrative is so sud- 
denly changed from Palestine to Eu- 
rope 1 And are you not tempted to 
ask, Is this Malta the same that we 
find on our maps ? Yes, my children, 
it is the same. It is the island situated 
in the Mediterranean, near the coast 
of Italy. But how different is its as- 
pect now, from that which you see 
represented in the engraving. Then, 
this was a wild savage spot ; now upon 



SACRED SCENES. 281 

the same place is a beautiful city, dis- 
tinguished for its splendid edifices, 
and containing 30,000 inhabitants. 
Formerly as you see, high rocky cliffs 
bordered the sea ; now on this coast, 
a fine harbor presents a safe asylum to 
hundreds of vessels. The vessels in 
use at that time, were small boats, 
propelled by oars like those in our 
rivers ; now you would see there noble 
ships with three decks, large enough 
to contain 3000 men. St. Paul had 
been some months on the voyage from 
Greece, before he was wrecked on the 
island of Malta; now, steamboats make 
the trip in a few days. Formerly the 
inhabitants of the island were almost 
savages ; Luke calls them barbarians. 
Observe in the picture their rude ap- 
pearance. Some with their hair long 
and frizzled, and their countenances 
24* 



282 SACRED SCENES. 

looking dull and stupid. Others start 
back in superstitious terror and their 
hair stands up with fear. You will 
judge at once that they seem too un- 
civilized ever to have seen a book. 
Now Malta has libraries and a large 
printing press, which issues thousands 
of Bibles and religious works, in He- 
brew, Greek, Italian, Arabic, and 
twenty other different languages, to 
send them over the world. At that 
period Malta had no Christian church ; 
now there are twenty. Do you inquire 
how I can explain this change ? The 
engraving itself explains it. Listen 
attentively to me. Paul as you know 
was bound for Rome. He embarked, 
but was wrecked ; the vessel is just 
visible, being almost covered with the 
waves. I will give you the description 
of these events in the words of the 



SACRED SCENES. 283 

apostle Luke, who was a companion 
with Paul, in this voyage. 

" And when we were escaped we 
knew that the island was called Malta. 
And the barbarous people showed us 
no little kindness, for they kindled a 
fire, and received us every one, be- 
cause of the present rain and because 
of the cold. And when Paul had gath- 
ered a bundle of sticks and laid them 
on 55 the fire, there came a viper out 
of the heat, and fastened on his hand. 
And when the barbarians saw the ven- 
omous beast hang on his hand, they 
said among themselves : No doubt 
this man is a murderer, whom, though 
he hath escaped the sea yet vengeance 
suffereth not to live. And he shook 
off the beast into the fire, and felt no 
harm. Howbeit, they looked when he 
should have swollen, or fallen down 



284 SACRED SCENES. 

dead suddenly : but after they had 
looked a great while, and saw no harm 
come to him, they changed their minds 
and said he was a god. In the same 
quarter were possessions of the chief 
man of the island, whose name was 
Publius ; who received us, and lodged 
us three days courteously. And it 
came to pass that the father of Publius 
lay sick of a fever, and a bloody flux : 
to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, 
and laid his hands on him, and healed 
him. So when this was done, others 
also, which had diseases in the island, 
came, and were healed : who also hon- 
ored us with many honors ; and when 
we departed, they loaded us with such 
things as were necessary." 

You will now understand the en- 
graving better. Paul has just thrown 
some wood upon the fire, around 



SACRED SCENES. 285 

which are gathered the Roman sol- 
diers, and the inhabitants, attracted by 
curiosity. You see he has calmly 
shaken off the viper into the midst of 
the flames ; and the barbarians look 
upon him with dread ; for having just 
escaped the dangers of the sea, he is 
now threatened with death from the 
serpent's bite. But God watched over 
Paul, and he was not harmed. And 
now they are ready to believe him a 
god. The sick were brought from all 
parts, and were healed by Paul, in the 
name of Jesus. Thus faith in the 
Saviour took root in the grateful hearts 
of these savages. He was at first al- 
most the only Christian ; but in after 
time there remained not an idolater. 
The Christian faith was carried from 
Malta to Rome by the apostle ; it 
spread over Italy, Gaul, and indeed 



286 SACRED SCENES. 

Europe, and the people enlightened by 
it are what you see. Religion has 
changed their hearts, given them a 
taste for labor, for study ; has devel- 
oped their intellect, and indeed to its 
influence may be traced all the pro- 
gress which has been made in the isle 
of Malta. It is the Christian faith 
which has raised those churches, and 
established that printing press ; which 
has excited the commercial interest of 
the people, now masters of those able 
vessels and steam boats. 

St. Paul came as a sower into the 
island. He cast there a seed of truth, 
and this seed fell on good ground, 
and by the blessing of God sprung up 
and grew continually, without any one 
knowing how. This little plant has 
become a great tree, which has spread 
over Europe, America, a part of Asia, 



SACRED SCENES. 287 

and Africa, and which embraces in its 
welcome shade the uttermost parts of 
the earth. Now, new missionaries go 
out like St. Paul, to bear the faith to 
other islands, and among the savages, 
and as formerly these islands become 
civilized, these savages are converted, 
instructed, and become new creatures. 
How much good has been done by 
this religion since the days of Paul. 
You may rejoice my children in being 
among the number who participate in 
its blessings, and I hope you will pray 
to God that he will hasten that happy 
period when all shall know Him, and 
the earth be full of the knowledge of 
the Lord. 

My dear children we now part, for 
my narratives are now finished. If 
you have found them interesting, you 



288 SACRED SCENES. 

will be glad to know where I obtained 
them, that you may seek more, simi- 
lar to them. I will confess to you that 
my only aim in writing them has been, 
to give you a desire to read the book 
which has furnished me with them. 
And if after reading these stories, you 
say, Pray give us more, without seek- 
ing for them at my fountain, I should 
be much grieved. Hear then the 
name of the precious book : mark my 
last word, behold the casket of my 
treasures, the pearl of my words, be- 
hold my all. Read the BIBLE, the 
WORD OF GOD. 

Adieu, my children, may God bless 
you. He will do so, most certainly, if 
you read with seriousness and prayer 
the book which he has given to guide 
us to Heaven. 

END. 



Deacidified using the Bookkeeper process. 
Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide 
Treatment Date: June 2005 

PreservationTechnologies 

A WORLD LEADER IN PAPER PRESERVATION 

1 1 1 Thomson Park Drive 
Cranberry Township, PA 16066 
(724) 779-2111 



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